


Good Thing (COMPLETE)

by raccodactyl



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Anal Sex, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Lots of plot, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Oral Sex, Smut, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and i've tagged so much when writing it, lots of porn too though, so lets just hope this works, yeah this is a big ol mix of things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 14:12:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 37,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18448217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raccodactyl/pseuds/raccodactyl
Summary: Things get interesting when you and Arthur end up getting a bit more intimate than acceptable on a cold night up in the Grizzlies. Follow through the tales of love, loss, and hardship in your time with the van der Linde Gang





	1. Good Thing

You had been running with the gang for a few long weeks now. The mountains took quite a toll on the whole crew, including yourself. You sat in one of the run down cabins trying to get yourself warm by the small fire but to no avail. It was a bitter, bitter cold. 

 

You heard the sounds of horses trotting outside, Dutch and his top guns must have gotten back to camp. Soon enough, Arthur came through the door. 

 

Miss Grimshaw set you two up in the same cabin. You were still in some sort of probationary period with the gang. People trusted you but Dutch was always cautious of new-comers. He bunked you two together knowing that no one in the right mind was about to fuck with Arthur Morgan. 

 

He grabbed a short stool and sat close to you, “you doing alright, boy?”

 

“Still breathin’,” you said with a light chuckle. 

 

“Well that’s better then some of us then,” he said as he brought his hands to warm them above the flames. “Don’t know if you heard, but Hosea thinks he knows a place a little east of here. Not exactly where we’re trying to go but anything’s better than these god damn mountains. Damn it’s cold...”

 

You got up and placed another log on the fire and thankfully it caught on quickly, “That’s a little better,” you whispered to yourself. 

 

“How long you been running with these fellers,” you asked, catching Arthur off guard a bit. People didn’t often just casually talk to him so he made a habit of just zoning out.

 

“Well damn, probably going on 19-20 years,” he said, letting out a breath. 

 

“Shit, now I’ve barely been alive that long,” you laughed, causing him to smile a little. 

 

“Makes sense, I was about your age when Dutch picked me up. Was an angry little bastard back then. Dutch taught me better. Took me from starting fights with everyone I saw to only beating the assholes that deserve it.” 

 

“Made a good man out of you didn’t he.” 

 

“I’m by no standards a good man,” he said, shaking his head. 

 

“A better man, then,” you retorted. 

 

“Enough about me,” he said after a few moments of silence, “What’s your story, kid?” 

 

“Not too complicated,” you said, leaning back a bit, “Momma passed away when I was real young. She was giving birth to my sister. Daddy was a drunk, got himself hanged not too long ago for assaulting a lawman. Sister ran off with some man, think they’re out near New York now.”

 

“Now that’s quite the sob story you got there, boy,” he said with what sounded like genuine concern in his voice. 

 

“It’s not all bad. I was working odd jobs around Blackwater when Dutch picked me up. I knew some folk that worked the shipyards and was able to give him some leads. When things went to shit with the boat job, I got caught in the mix. Ended up riding on the back of Bill’s horse back to the old camp and ended up staying for the long haul. Now I’m sat here with you in the coldest, most miserable part of the state.” 

 

He chuckled, “Could be worse, you could always be stuck bunking with Micah and Pearson.”

 

You let out a belly laugh, “You are damn right.” 

 

Casual conversation continued and soon enough, daylight faded, leaving you two with a bottle of whiskey and some worn bedrolls near the fire to keep you warm. You shared the hard drink, passing it back and forth til it slowly emptied. Soon enough the night faded into sleep as you lay by the fire.

 

—

 

You woke up before the sun rose, no plans to actually start your day yet when you felt a bit warmer than the weather would usually allow. Gaining your bearings, you found your body pressed against Arthur’s. His arm was around your torso, holding you close with his chest pressed against your back. You could feel his breath on the top of your head, his face pressed into your hair. 

 

You were taken aback, this was an odd situation to be in. Obviously this wasn’t a conscious decision. The fire had died down during the night, it’s a natural reaction to seek warmth. This was but animal brain taking over when person brain was in dreamworld. 

 

It did feel quite good, though.

 

— 

 

You woke up some time later only to find yourself alone. Although, you did find another blanket lay over you and the fire back alive. 

 

Based on the noise outside, the gang was getting packed up. You grabbed your trunk and stuffed what belongings you had in it, carrying it outside. You placed it on one of the wagons near Arthur’s belongings before running into Dutch. 

 

“Mr. Y/L/N, glad to see you joining us. Arthur and Hosea went up to make sure everything’s clear. Now if you wouldn’t manning that wagon, we’ll be on our merry way.”

 

“Sure thing, Dutch,” you replied as you climbed up to the front seats, Karen following close behind. 

 

Karen had always been kind to you. She was a bit rough on the edges and a bit too heavy on the bottle but she was a sweet woman at heart. 

 

“Seems you and Mr. Morgan have grown quite close,” she smiled as you made your way down the road. 

 

“He’s been fair to me. Not too many people ‘round here besides you and him have given me the chance to speak, let alone be friendly.”

 

“I don’t like to judge people too quickly and so far, you seem like a nice feller, so why would I take issue. Mr. Morgan, on the other hand, has never been one to take too kindly to new faces. It’s nice seeing him a bit happier.” 

 

“Glad I could help,” you smiled. 

 

She gave you a brief, knowing look before setting her eyes back on the trail, humming a soft tune to herself and getting lost in her own thoughts. The expression lasted with you, maybe she had seen Arthur holding you this morning, maybe she just heard your conversations the night before. Maybe she just had a gut feeling. 

 

You finally arrived to the camp labelled as Horseshoe Overlook. It was a nice little place surrounded by trees not too far from town. You poked your way around camp, checking the new set up and sitting through Dutch’s lectures before letting yourself explore. You unhitched your horse, taking the tall, brown beast out into the woods, not following any paths but just letting yourself wander and get a good taste of the country side. You approached a cliff side and found a familiar speckled horse grazing and sure enough, you saw the same tan jacket and dark hat that you had come to know. 

 

You hopped off your horse, letting her walk around freely. You walked up behind Arthur, his legs dangling off the cliffside as he scribbled in his journal.

 

“What are you doing out here all alone?” 

 

He looked visibly startled, clearly he hadn’t heard you. “Y/N, how did you find me out here?”

 

“Decided to explore,” you shrugged, “Evidently you had a similar idea.” 

 

He quickly shut his journal, stowing it in his satchel as you took a seat next to him, staring out at the open space.

 

“Quite a pretty country, isn’t it,” you sighed contently.

 

Arthur didn’t let out more than a “mmhm.” The silence left you feeling a tad uncomfortable, the events from the night before stay heavy on your mind. Minutes passed like hours and you wanted to talk to him about it, but you couldn’t collect the right words to express yourself in a way that wouldn’t scare him off. You could feel his gaze but didn’t dare to look back at him.

 

“Can I ask you about something,” he spoke barely above a whisper, “just between us.” 

 

“Of course. Hell, I’ve got no one to run and tell anyway.” 

 

Your comment seemed to make him go a bit more tense, “Ignore that, bad time for a joke. Go ahead and ask, Arthur. You can trust me.” 

 

He was still tense and you could feel it radiating off of him. You turned to face him, “You can trust me,” you repeated, this time looking straight into his eyes. 

 

He let out a deep breath before finally speaking, “Am I a bad man?” 

 

He was being genuine, vulnerable, his voice cracked. 

 

“You’re not bad, Arthur,” you put your hand on his shoulder, “You provide more for this gang than anyone else combined, Dutch included. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. The ends always justify the means with you.” 

 

“Sometimes I do things I don’t understand. Now I’m not the picture perfect man of faith, but sometimes I think about things I shouldn’t, things God says not to do, and I’m not just talking about the robbin’ and killin’.”

 

“Now no offense, sir, but based on the sense of the Bible, seems robbin’ and killin’ might be the worst of crimes,” you let out a chuckle, “I don’t think whatever you’ve got going on up there can really top all that.” 

 

“I don’t know...” he grumbled. 

 

“Don’t mind me pushing,” it was your turn to be fearless, “but does this have anything to do with last night?”

 

He got visibly stiff and you could tell you hit the nail on the head. “I didn’t think you knew.” 

 

“Well I didn’t mind if it’s any consolation.” 

 

“I’m a dirty old man,” he shook his head, “if anyone found out about this, we could both end up swinging.” 

 

“We get caught doing anything we’ll end up swinging. Neither of us are exactly law biding citizens.” 

 

He finally relaxed, letting out a chuckle. He looked away but you let yourself watch him shamelessly. He was undeniably handsome with those bright blue eyes and rugged good looksMaybe a bit intimidating at first but he’s no more than a big teddy bear. 

 

Some time went by and you let yourself get closer to him and after a while you broke the silence. 

 

“Can I kiss you,” you said softly. 

 

He was taken off guard but collected himself quickly, “Don’t even have to ask, darlin’.” 

 

He put his calloused hand lightly on your jaw and brought your lips together. They were soft and chapped but it felt nice. He tasted like old cigarettes and peppermint. The kiss wasn’t particularly deep or intense, but it was one of the best things you’ve felt in a long time. He made you feel safe in his grasp. 

 

After a little while you pulled away. The sensation still danced upon your lips and you missed the feeling already. “This is gonna be a good thing, you and me.”

 

He gave you a soft smile, “I really hope so.”

 

He stood up, lending you a hand to pull you up as well. The helping hand pulled you into his chest. He was a bit taller than you, leaving you right in the crook of his neck. You took in a deep breath, taking in his scent and relishing in the feeling of being in his arms. These hugs wouldn’t come as often as you’d like and you knew that. Best to take them as much as you can.

 

You pulled away and he gave you one last good kiss, “What was that for?” 

 

“Just wanted to feel you is all.”

 

The two of you had a pleasant ride back to camp. Nothing but the man you could now call yours occupied your head. You wished you could flaunt him but of course, that wasn’t really a possibility. Not even the other gang members could know about this. 

 

You arrive back at camp to find everything set up. You hitched your horses and Susan started talking immediately. “Mr. Morgan we have you set up right over here,” she directed towards the edge of the camp. “And Y/N, Miss Karen set you up right next door. We found you some spare supplies as well, nothing too fancy, but at least some more clothes to get you out of those rags.” 

 

You walked over to the tents with Arthur. He had a bit of privacy and a good cot to sleep on. You, on the other hand, were left with a bed roll. He was a top man in the gang, of course he had those privileges, but sleeping on the ground was unforgiving on your back. You changed your clothes and met back in the common area of the camp.

 

“Alright folks,” Dutch began, “Now Valentine ain’t much but it’s something. All of you, see if you can’t find some honest work. Lay low, don’t cause too much trouble, and most importantly, make good money. We’re gonna need it to head out west.” 

 

You turned to Arthur after the group cleared out, “Ready to head to town, cowboy?” 

 

He just nodded and you walked over to the hitching post. You gave your trusty steed some oatcakes and were ready to head to Valentine. 

 

“You fixing to race, boy,” he said with a smirk.

 

“Now now, old man. I don’t know of you can dig in quite like you used to. But if you enjoy losing, be my guest,” you teased. 

 

“We’ll see about that now. Yah!” 

 

“You cheating bastard,” you called out, pushing your horse to go faster. 

 

Soon enough you caught up to him. It was neck and neck, both of you trying to go as fast as you could. You made it to the posts outside the stable but a second before he did. Your horse dug her heels into the mud before rearing with a loud neigh. “I call that a victory,” you taunted. 

 

“It’s because you’re smaller than me!”

 

“No way, Morgan. You’re just pissed because I won.” 

 

“Just barely,” he grumbled. 

 

— 

 

The day went by quickly as you learned more about the town. The town didn’t have much more than the bare essentials but it was a good place to lie low. You made some quick money by clearing out the stables and later helped Arthur with a quick bounty job. Soon enough, night came before you. It had been a long day, so much had gone on. You and Arthur decided to spend the night at the little hotel.

 

You grabbed your bed roll of your horse, tucking it under your arm and heading inside. “Just one room,” you said nonchalantly. The clerk saw the set up in your hand and didn’t even give a second glance. He handed you the key and directed you to head upstairs.

 

“What’d you bring that for,” Arthur asked as you got into the room. 

 

“Just wanted to make it seem like we weren’t sharing a bed is all.” You tossed the roll into the corner and flopped onto the bed. This was a luxury you really missed.

 

You let out a content sigh and soon enough, Arthur leaned over you, pressing his lips to yours and you let out a soft groan, “Keep going.” 

 

He continued to kiss you, gaining more and more confidence but still remaining cautious. You knocked hid hat off his head and began to unbutton his blue shirt. He slid it off, revealing his broad, hairy chest.

 

“Damn, you’re handsome,” you spoke between kisses. 

 

Soon enough the both of you were stripped down to your undergarments. You grew hard, spreading your legs and allowing him to stay between them. His tongue slid into your mouth, a sensation you had only felt one other time in the past. This was new territory, you had never been with anyone, let alone another man. He ground against you and groans left his mouth. You were painfully hard.

 

He took his time with you, planting kisses all down your torso before he began to take down your underpants. He kissed along your thighs and your waistline before tugging them down your legs, leaving you exposed.

 

He took hold of your cock, “I wanna make you feel good, boy.” He stroked you firm and tight, thumb playing with your tip. Before you thought it couldn’t get better, he began to suck on the head. He licked along the underside of your cock, sending you into a groaning, moaning mess. 

 

You gripped onto his hair, lightly thrusting into his mouth. He was making you feel better than you ever had. It had been a long time since you had privacy, and therefore a long time since you’ve been able to get off. 

 

“Arthur, I’m gonna cum,” you whined.

 

“Cum in my mouth, little boy.” 

 

You finished down his throat and he swallowed every last drop. He worked you through your powerful orgasm and you were on cloud nine. 

 

He came back up to kiss you and the taste of you on his tongue turned you on. You flipped him over so he was on his back and crawled down, hastily taking off the last of his clothes.

 

His cock sprang free and you were eager to make him feel as good as he did you. You wasted no time in taking him as deep as you could, gagging on his thick shaft.

 

“Shiiit,” he groaned, “how are you so good at that.” 

 

You continued your work, sucking his cock until he came in your mouth, his juices dripping down your chin. 

 

“You are a pretty little thing,” he said as he wiped you off with a spare rag. 

 

You lay on your pack and he hovered over to kiss you again. You were worn out. It had been a painfully long but great day. 

 

Soon enough he lay on his back, opening up his arms and cuddling you tight. “Wish we could do this every night.” 

 

The rest of the night was quiet. His breathing grew deeper and soon enough the both of you were asleep. Laying on his chest, you had your first good night sleep in a long while.


	2. A Future.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're left a bit shaken up a bit after a hunting trip goes wrong. You just want the best for your Arthur.

It was a chilly morning up in the mountains. It may have been mid summer but it sure did not feel like it. Dutch had send you and Arthur on a hunting trip as supplies got a little low. You had stocked up on some small game but still needed something a bit bigger before you went back. A good elk would send you two home.

You and Arthur had grown to be a bit more than friends. It was something most of the gang knew about but no one dared to say anything. You two were discreet, weren’t in anyone's face. Dutch usually sent the two of you out together which you took as his own little nod of approval. Dutch was never the subtle type but with matters such as this, you appreciated his tact. 

The trip had been fairly uneventful. Arthur was a good tracker and was good for large game. You were good with a bow and an even better fisherman. This morning marked your third and final day out in the wild. 

Arthur’s rustling woke you up just before the sun rose. He rolled over, landing himself mostly on top of you, face buried into your neck and hands gently clasping at your shirt. You moved your hand to gently stroke his hair. His breathing grew a bit faster and you could tell he was starting to wake up. You gently kissed his forehead and soon enough, his bright blue eyes began to flutter open. He began to groan his usual groans and only wrapped himself more tightly around your body.

“Last day,” you whispered softly. You held him close, morning usually weren’t like this. With relatively no privacy at the camp, this wasn’t something that came often. The two of you had joked about running off and starting a little ranch together, but with Dutch being Dutch, he’d probably shoot the both of you if you thought of leaving the gang. The two of you dare to dream. 

He sat up, sitting between your legs and facing the open countryside. You followed him up, wrapping your arms around his torso and letting your head lean against his bare back. You swayed slightly, enjoying the feeling of his chest at your fingertips as the sun rose. You moved your hands to massage his shoulders and he let out a gentle moan, “What are you doing back boy?” 

“Just trying to ease you up is all.” You continued to put gentle pressure on his shoulders and down his back. After a few minutes, he turned back around to face you. His beard had grown out a bit from the normal length he kept it, his hair grown out past his ears as well. 

“You are too handsome for your own good, Morgan.”

He placed his hand on your face, thumb gently caressing your lower lip. “Now I don’t know about that,” he laughed, “but damn did I get lucky with you.”

He brought his lips to yours, hand still holding onto your chin and keeping you close. You grabbed his other hand, holding it tightly in your grasp and making sure he really felt you. 

He pulled away after a few moments, placing gentle and sporadic kisses along your mouth and jaw. “You ready to head out,” he asked in his sleepy, raspy voice. You only nodded and followed him, crawling lazily out of the tent. He stuck his hand out, helping you stand up.

The two of you got dressed, heading out into the woods to finish up your hunt. You rubbed yourselves down with cover-scent lotion and made your way out through the trees. “We should seperate,” he suggested, “we’ll cover more ground and hopefully get this done easier.”

You nodded, “remember the signal, three shots and I come running.” 

“Of course. Be careful now.”

You left a quick kiss on his lips and hopped on your horse, riding out a bit and hitching him at a tree. You grabbed your rifle, bow, and your trusty sawed off. Shotgun wasn’t good for clean hunting but it was good for emergencies. 

The trip was going smoothly, you caught a few raccoons and rabbits and were able to skin a deer, storing the pelt among many others. You were returning to your tent by the lake when you heard three quick shots just north of where you were. Quickly, you dropped everything at the tent and grabbed your most powerful weapons. “Arthur!” you called out, desperately hoping to hear something back. Your horse sprinted through the trees and headed in towards the gunshots and soon enough you could hear what sounded like a bear growling. 

Soon enough you found him, a great black bear on top of him. “Get the hell off me!” 

You jumped off your horse without stopping, quickly drawing your sawed off and shooting the bear in the side. With the bear distracted, Arthur drew his knife, quickly stabbing the beast in the neck multiple times, taking the animal down. You moved hastily to where Arthur lay, grabbing him under his arms and dragging him out from under the bear. He had a deep set of scratches on his chest, other cuts on his arms and a nick on his face, but none bleeding as bad as these. 

You put pressure on the worst of his wounds, “Y/N, shit,” he is voice cracked with pain. 

“Save your breath now, we gotta get this bleeding to stop.” 

He cringed as you had to press harder on his chest, thankfully, the bleeding stopped fairly quickly. You hopped back onto your horse, lending him a hand to get up and rode back to your little camp. Once you got to the lake, you hopped down, helping him as well. You wrapped his arm around your shoulder, walking him down to the water. You unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off his shoulders laying him down on a grassy patch. You soaked his shirt in the water, using it to clean the blood off his face and torso. He was still groaning in pain, “we just need to get you cleaned off, then we’ll head back to camp.”

You poured whiskey out onto the cloth, “This is gonna hurt,” you said as you pressed it to the cuts. 

He yelped at the feeling and you couldn’t help but feel bad but these needed to be clean. The last thing he needed was for these injuring to get infected. You took your knife to the tattered shirt, cutting strips of it off to wrap around the cuts on his arms. You pressed on last strip to the cut on his forehead and directed him to hold it in place. You ran back to your tent, grabbing one of his looser shirts for him to throw on. 

You whistled and his horse came running; thankfully he hadn’t run too far off. You took the game you had collected and stowed it on his mustang. You took down the camp and packed it all away before returning to Arthur by the water. “Come on, old man, let’s get you home.”

You helped him get onto your horse, whistling for his to follow you back to camp. You wrapped his arms around you tightly as he leaned against your back. You didn’t ride too fast, knowing the last thing he needed was to get jostled around too much. “It’s gonna be okay,” you whispered to him. 

You arrived back at camp, quickly getting off your horse and helping him hop down. Dutch walked on over, “Mr Morgan, Mr Y/L/N, nice to see y-holy shit! What happened?” 

“God damn bear attack,” you shouted, walking Arthur back to his tent and laying him on his back. 

“Mr Pearson, unload the horses. Miss Jackson, Miss Roberts, get this man some morphine,” Dutch yelled. 

You backed off a bit, “I tended to the cuts best I could but I don’t exactly know how well I did.” 

The women crowded him, cleaning him up a bit more than you could and rubbing more alcohol on the wounds. Arthur let out curses and grumbles of pain, his eyes meeting yours between flinches. You gave him a sad smile, mouthing “it’s gonna be okay.”

After the women cleared out, Arthur sat up, patting the spot next to him for you to sit down.”I’d be dead without you,” he spoke softly.

“Now don’t start talking like that.”

“It’s true and you know it. Thank you.”

You gave a quick look around, making sure the coast was clear before kissing him. “Now we are not splitting up next time, you hear me,” you said sternly. 

“Yes sir,” he said, sounding defeated and leaning back on the wagon behind his bed. 

“How’s the pain?”

“Not all that bad with drugs the girls gave me. Chest aches a bit. Just glad we put that son of a bitch down.” 

“I’m just glad you were able to signal me. My worst fear is finding you dead somewhere, you know that.”

“Now I ain’t worth getting too worried over-”

“Stop with that talk,” you cut him off, “I care about you. And I’m not going to stop caring about you just because you talk down on yourself like that.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. He knew how much his self talk bugged you, “I just can’t help but feel like you’re too good for me.”

You just shook your head. “Arthur, you mean the world to me and have saved my ass more times than I could count. You could try to deny but you are a good man, not to mention my favorite person on this god forsaken planet. I l-” you stopped yourself, “I want this, and I want you, and I want us to be happy.” 

He just shook his head, a smile on his face, “How did I get so god damn lucky.” 

The day went on and the women continued to dote over Arthur, continually making sure that he wasn’t too sore and that his wounds were properly cleaned. He got off lightly for a bear attack, it could have been so much worse. You could have found him dead under that bear with his throat torn out, but he left with just some marks. The day floated into night, most of the gang was either in bed or getting ready to. You sat by the fire, giving Arthur a bit of space to rest when Dutch tapped your shoulder, a lantern in his other hand, “Mind if we talk, Y/N?”

“No problem, Dutch,” you said, getting up from your spot around the fire. You followed him to the edge of the woods. Bit of an unspoken rule in the camp to leave people alone when they went to that spot. Privacy was something rare when living in such close quarters with these people and all of the gang tried to be as respectful as possible. 

You took a spot on a fallen tree, Dutch set the lantern down between you and sat close, “First things first, I just wanted to thank you for patching Arthur back up. Gang would be lost without him.”

“That’s no problem.”

“Of course. Now, to put things lightly, I know you and Arthur have grown quite close. To be quite honest, I haven’t seen him anywhere near as happy as he is when you’re around him.”

You smiled to yourself, you never thought things with him were obvious as you always tried to play it cautious when showing affection with him. Dutch was always good at reading people though, unlike many other brutes in the camp. 

Dutch continued, “I just wanted to let you know that it’s okay with me. You’ve not done any wrong by me, only contributed well to this camp and our gang. You’ve really held your own and picked up the slack of some of the other folks here. Arthur’s like my son in a lot of ways and I want the best for him. You’ve been real good to him, made him real happy. I want to find something wrong with the situation, but the more I think about it, the more I really look at the two of you, I can’t do that to either of you. I know some of the others are gonna have an issue with it but you have my blessing. You let me know directly if anyone starts causing you trouble over this. I’ve got your back here, and I will take action.”

You nodded, this went better than anything could’ve hoped for. “Thank you, Dutch. I’ll be doing my very best to keep it up. I got real scared today, seeing Arthur all banged up like that.”

“I know the feeling,” he sighed. “Take the next few days off, help him get back on his feet and rest up yourself. You’ve done more than enough work as of late. You make sure Arthur gets back on his feet. He’s always reluctant to rest up but right now, he needs it. Just tend to the basic chores around camp, I don’t want either of you doing too much for a little while.”

“I really appreciate all of this, means more than you could know.”

He just nodded before picking the lantern back up, “It’s getting real late, let’s get back.”

You followed Dutch on the short walk back to camp. He shot you a knowing look, signaling to go by Arthur. You grabbed your bedroll, rolling it out under Arthur’s tent, next to his bed. You sat up a while, just looking at him. He looked peaceful as he slept, you wanted to make sure he was alright, but you didn’t want to wake him. His breathing was calm, his face relaxed. He never seemed to catch a break and with today’s incident, he’s forced to. He’s always been restless, doesn’t like it when he’s not getting work done. He liked to take it easy at the end of each day but you know he’ll be a jittery mess if he can’t at least do something. You’ll have to keep him occupied somehow. 

You faded into a light sleep, seemed every time he rolled over, you’d wake up. You didn’t sleep well and the morning came all too soon. You knew it was just your nerves getting to you, but you couldn’t help but worry about him. When he woke up it felt like a true relief. 

“Mornin’, darlin,” he greeted. 

You sat up to look at him properly, “Mornin’, doll. How are you feeling?”

“Chest is a bit tight but I’m okay. I think it’s starting to scab over a bit.”

“That’s real good. Dutch wants you to take it easy for a bit and I agree. You do need your rest.”

“It’s not all that bad, I can still-”

“I don’t want to hear it, Morgan. You push yourself and you’ll only make it worse. You rest up, you’ll heal faster, and save more time, you know that. Be smart.” 

“Fine,” he grumbled, sounding a bit defeated. 

“You deserve the time off anyway. Read a bit, draw, play a little poker. You’ve barely had a break since we got out of the Grizzlies.”

“Okay,” he nodded. “Did you really spend the whole night down there?”  
“Yeah,” you said with a laugh, “just wanted to keep a close eye on you for the night.” 

He smiled at you, “Too kind for your own good.” 

The day passed by slowly. You did the daily chores around the camp, helped out wherever you could. Arthur seemed pretty okay after a little while. You kept an eye on him for the whole day, making sure he wasn’t pushing himself and do anything stupid. He spent most of his day drawing, taking breaks to eat a bit or play dominoes with Tilly. You saw him read some stories with Jack and Abigail. Karen caught you staring at one point in the afternoon, “He is handsome, isn’t he.”

“Oh shit,” you said startled, “How long you been there, Karen?”

“Long enough to see you lose yourself,” she joked, “how are you two doing?”

“Real well,” you said with smile, “he makes me happy and I hope I do the same.” 

“By the looks of that, you surely do. Has to be a few months now since you’ve gotten together, hasn’t it?”

“Just under 4 months,” you said with pride. 

“Can I ask you something,” she said, sounding genuine. 

“Shoot.”

“You love him?”

The question took you aback. You took a few moments to think about before letting out a simple, “Yeah. Yeah, I think I do.”

“That’s real good,” she smiled, “Real good.” 

\--

Daylight faded and you soon found yourself cozying up with Arthur at his tent. Camp was dead silent apart from the crackling fire and Uncle’s horribly loud snores. You rested your head on his shoulder as you leaned against the sturdy wagon. It was a comfortable silence in the calm of night, neither of you were ready to sleep yet and it felt nice to just be with each other for a bit after a long day of not being able to do so. You traced patterns on his thigh, not looking to gain a reaction, just keeping your hands busy. 

“Had a good talk with Dutch today,” he said quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone nearby. 

“Oh yeah? What about?”

“Not too much,” he said, letting out a content sign, “mostly about you and me.”

“Really,” you asked, you were genuinely surprised. 

“Yeah. Felt good to be able to talk about us with someone instead of trying to conceal it. He brought up the future and it got me thinking, ‘bout my priorities and all that. And about what really matters to me. Y/N, I,” he stumbled over his words a bit, “I need you to know one thing, and it’s real important to me that you do.”

He sat up straight, turning his body to face you directly and taking your hands in his as those blue eyes stared right into yours. “I love you. And I need you to know that I’m not here for the short game, but for the long haul. We’ve not been together all that long but I know this is right and I will do anything to make it work. I’ve had people in the past, women mostly, and nothing ever felt quite like this. I need this to work.”

“I love you,” you stated with confidence, “We’re gonna make it work and one day, some years from now, we’re gonna get a big ranch with horses and a nice plot of land. We’re gonna make this work, cowboy. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” 

He brought his hands to your face, pulling you closer to kiss him passionately. “You’re perfect,” he said between kisses. You had never felt better than it that very moment. Arthur was the love of your life, the person you had always dreamed of. “The one” you always heard people blabbering about that you never thought was real. You had a future with him and you could feel it. 

“All mine, Arthur Morgan,” you said as you pulled away. “All mine.”


	3. Good Boy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur drove you wild all day long only to finally get you alone.
> 
> This chapter is pure porn and literally no plot. You can totally skip it if you wanna

Arthur had been clingy all day. It wasn’t unlike him to give you a quick kiss when people weren’t looking, but today he’d sneak you out to the woods to get a bit more physical. It seemed he couldn’t go a full five minutes without touching you in some way and it drove you crazy. You were getting up from the table, getting ready to put your dirty bowl back by Pearson’s pot when Arthur came behind you and grabbed you by the shoulders. 

“We’ve got plans tonight,” he said firmly. 

You nodded your head, you loved when he got dominant. He wasn’t usually rough with you. The camp wasn’t at all private and the most you could usually do was a quick blowjob in the woods and on the rare occasion you had time to waste, he liked to make it special, really take his time when getting you off. You and Arthur had been active with each other for quite a while but had only gone past oral a handful of times. Although both of you wanted to take things furthermore often, there was always a reason not to; the camp was far too risky, the woods were too dirty, and hotel walls were too thin. By the tone of his voice though, you could tell tonight would probably be different. 

“When dusk hits, you follow my lead,” he said before releasing you and walking away. That man knew just how to mess with you. 

Minutes felt like days as you did everything you could to kill time. You found yourself furiously chopping firewood to get out your nerves only to find Arthur interrupting you again. 

“Easy, boy,” he whispered, his hot breath on your neck sending chills through your entire body. He took a peak around, making sure no one was looking before leaving a sloppy kiss on your neck. 

“You better quit teasing or this axe will go straight through your skull.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Oh, it’s a promise if you’re not careful.” 

“Better watch that tone,” he said, his voice filled with pure lust.

“I’m sure you’ll teach me a lesson.”

Quickly, he put his hand on your neck, putting pressure on the arteries and cutting off the blood flow, brining himself closer, “Watch. Your. Damn. Tone.”  
He released you, your breath coming back and a dark smile on his face. Tonight was gonna be a hell of a time and this little encounter only made the waiting worse. On the bright side, this unfathomable amount of sexual frustration gave you a wild amount of energy. In those hours, you had been more productive than you ever had. 

“We’ll don’t you have a skip in your step today, Y/K,” Hosea laughed. 

“Oh you know,” you said, trying to keep yourself calm, “just got a good night sleep.”

“Alright,” he said, “I’ll just leave you to it.” 

You flashed Hosea a quick smile before returning to the chores you had decided were yours today. Arthur could give you the occasional slap on the ass or say something that would get him a front row seat on the bus ride to Hell. 

After some excruciating hours, the sun finally began to set and you could not have been happier. Arthur grabbed you again, “Follow my lead.” 

“Hey, Dutch,” he started, “I’ve scoped out a little homestead, nothing too heavy, seems a small family lives there. Figured we could make a few bucks out of it. I’m taking Y/N with me.”

“Yeah that’s fine,” Dutch said sounding disinterested, “Be smart. You need another gun?”

“Nah, we should be just fine,” he said reassuringly, “We both got good arms.”

“Sure,” Dutch said. “Get on your way then.”

You followed Arthur to the hitching post, both of you saddling up and heading out, “Just follow me.”

You and Arthur rode through the woods for a good while before approaching a dark house, dead quiet. “What’s this place,” you asked as you hopped off your horse. 

“Wasn’t lying about there being a homestead to rob,” he said deviously, “I cleared it out myself last night. I’ve got the take. I just needed to get you alone.”

You walked into the house, it was quaint, clean. He must’ve tidied the place up. He lit a match on his boot, lighting a few candles and getting settled.  
He set his gambler hat on the table.“Now don’t think I forgot about your little fit earlier,” he said, his tone dark and firm.

“I think you’ll just have to correct me then,” you teased, trying to get him on edge. Clearly, it was working.

He quickly backed you up against a wall, leaving you cornered, “From this point forward, you are mine. You do exactly as I say or you will be punished.” 

“Yes,” was all you were able to let out. 

He put his hand behind your head, further trapping you, “Yes who?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good boy,” was all he said before attacking your mouth with his. He slid his tongue into your mouth, exploring and hitting all the right places, making you let out a groan. He grabbed at your shirt, unbuttoning the top two buttons before getting flustered and tearing the rest, buttons scattering throughout the room. 

“I’ll buy you another god damn shirt. Right now I need to feel you,” he let out before sliding the worn shirt off your shoulders. 

He took his bandana off his neck, turning you around so your face was against the wall. He grabbed your wrists and bound them together, leaving you helpless. He left you standing there, going back to the small table. He slid off his gun belt and kicked his boots off, lighting another cigarette and staring you down. 

“We’re taking out time tonight, boy,” he laughed, making you squirm in your cuffs. 

He seemed to make that smoke last as long as possible and you were left impatient. When he finally put the bud out, he motioned for you to come to him. You stood near him before he shook his head and let out a chuckle. He sat up, quickly laying you over his knee, “This is for earlier.”

He put his hand between his legs and managed to undo your belt and zipper, sliding your pants and undergarments off, leaving you bare over his knee. “I want you to count for me.” 

He placed his calloused hand on your ass cheek, rubbing gently, the other placed firmly on your back. You felt his hand raise and a quick smack was left right where your legs met your ass. You yelped, letting out a week “one.”

The spanks came quickly and they hurt just enough to make you want more. You were painfully hard, aching for some type of friction. You shimmied your hips, his denim providing something at the very least, but Arthur knew your games and spread his legs further, leaving you hopeless. 

“Twenty,” you finally let out. 

Arthur rubbed gently on your reddened ass, “So damn pretty.”

He stood you up and untied your hands. “Don’t make me regret taking this off,” he warned. 

“On the bed,” he said flatly. 

You lay flat on your back, knees bent and spread as you watched him approach you like a predator. You could see the outline of his hard cock in his jeans and it only made you harder. He stood at the foot of the bed and began to finally undress. He slowly undid the buttons of his shirt, tossing it aside before moving to undo his trousers. He knew exactly what he was doing. 

“I’ve not even touched that cock of yours yet and you’re already leaking,” he growled, grabbing his dick through his jeans. “You want it?”

“Yes, sir,” you breathed out desperately.

He smirked, “Come and get it.”

Quickly you crawled to the end of the bed, hands going directly to his waistband. You pressed your mouth to his soft, hairy tummy, leaving wet kisses as you undid his trousers. You tugged his pants down quickly, his hard cock springing free. You pulled his pants down to his knees, leaving him to kick them off before taking his shaft in your hand, giving him a few tight strokes. 

You licked a wet stripe on the underside of his staff before taking the head into your mouth, “There you go, boy, get it nice and wet for me.” 

You began bobbing your head, taking as much of him in as possible. He stuck his hand in your hair, giving a pet first before grabbing at the roots. He thrust gently and you hummed around him, killing your gag reflex and sending vibrations through his entire body.

“Where the hell did you learn that,” he moaned. “So fucking good for me.”

You slobbered on his cock, a mix of saliva and precum running down your chin. With all the self-control he could muster, he pulled you off. “On your back.”

You let out another “yes sir” before quickly returning to your previous position. He kneeled on the bed, scooting his way up between your legs and kissed up your body. He made his way to your collarbone, paying extra attention to the spot that drove you crazy. 

A particularly good sequence of nibbles and sucking made you lose it, “Oh god, daddy.”

He stopped dead in his tracks, “Say that again.”

“What, sir?”

“Don’t get smart with me, you know exactly what.”

“Yes, daddy,” you said timidly. 

“Oh, little boy,” he chuckled, “You have no idea what you just got yourself into.”

Quickly he reached to the bedside table to grab the oil he had previously stored. He grabbed your thighs, pulling your ass towards him and further spreading your legs. He slicked up a few of his fingers, “You ready?”

“Yes,” was all you could make out, you wanted this so desperately. 

He gave you one more concerned look, “You absolutely positive?”

“Please, Daddy,” you practically shouted. 

That was all he needed before slowly sliding his index finger into your tight hole. It had been a few weeks since you had done this and the familiar stretch always felt a bit funny at first. He was down to his knuckle when he slowly started pumping. A second finger was slowly added. He spread his fingers inside of you, how could something so simple feel so good.  
You let out a long groan, “Please just fuck me, Daddy.”

That was all he needed before quickly lubing up his cock. He teased your hole, rubbing the tip along your crack and making you feel so needy. Finally, the blunt head began to sink in, the stretch burning slightly but it was a feeling you had missed. He continued, inch by inch with a fleeting but genuine gentleness that you needed at that very moment. He was finally fully sheathed inside of you, both of you breathless at the sensation.

He gave you a few moments to adjust, “You ready, little boy?”

“Please move,” you moaned. 

He started out slow, thrusts still hard. He kept switching his angles, trying to find the spot that drove you so wild. His cock was thick and you felt so full, the feeling of that alone enough to get you on edge, but after some trial and error, he finally found your most sensitive spot.

All you could do was let out a scream of “fuck” when he finally hit it so spot on. He pulled your legs over his shoulders, it was slightly uncomfortable but it was so intensely overshadowed by the absolute ecstasy being brought to by his cock and this position allowed him to get impossibly deeper. He placed his hand on your neck, blood choking you.

You couldn’t form a coherent sentence with just how hard he was going. He pulled his hand off and you caught your breath but wanted so bad for him to do it again.

“Touch yourself,” he panted, “Be a good boy and touch yourself for Daddy.”

You stroked your own hard, leaking cock and the feeling was overwhelming, “Please, harder Daddy.”

He gripped your body harshly before speeding up further, hitting you powerfully with each thrust at an unrelenting pace, “You like that don’t you,” he growled. 

“I’m so close,” you moaned. 

“That’s a good boy,” he said, leaving a smack on your ass, “Ready to cum on Daddy’s cock, huh? Tell me how bad you want it. Beg for me, boy.”

“Daddy, Daddy, please,” you sobbed. “Let me cum around your cock, Daddy. I need to feel your cum inside me. Fill me. Daddy, fill me.” 

His thrusts got sloppier, his hand returned to your throat, and one last good push sent you over the edge.You cum shot over your stomach and chest. You could barely see straight as he fucked you through your orgasm. A few seconds in and you could feel his cock give a final twitch before painting your insides. You could feel his cum inside you, driving you mad he rode himself out. 

He finished himself off, pulling your legs off his shoulders and just breathing for a second. He left a kiss on your forehead before slowly pulling you, his seed dripping out behind it. You already missed the feeling of him inside of you. 

He got off the bed, grabbing a clean rag and began to wipe you off. “You are amazing,” he smiled, the dominant tone leaving his voice. 

“Look who’s talking.”

“I didn’t go too rough on you now, did I,” he said as he wiped down your torso. 

“I’ll be just fine,” you said, trying to reassure him, “You are too sexy for your own good.”

“Don’t lie to me now.”

“Oh stop with that. Most handsome man I’ve ever seen.”

“I sincerely doubt that,” he said, getting off the bed to toss the dirty rag into a mop bucket.

You left a quick, playful smack on his ass, “Don’t toy with me now.” 

“Oh is that the game we’re playing,” he taunted, a smirk on his face. 

“Sure is.”

He hopped back on the bed and straddled you, pressing down your chest before you began to fight back, flipping the two of you over so you were on top. You quickly pinned his hands above his head. He resisted slightly but quickly gave up. You knew he was stronger than you but you appreciated the act anyway. 

You kept his hands down before leaning down and kissing him, “If you keep fucking like that, I’ll have to rile you up more often,” he joked.

“I doubt that’ll be much of a chore for you, Morgan.”


	4. Promise.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur has been off lately, leading you to do something to make him really know that you love him and only him. Pinky Promise.
> 
>  
> 
> *this is mostly plot! wow! there is smut towards the end but the buildup is really predictable if you want to skip over it.

Arthur had been quiet lately. He was never a super talkative person, but this was different. He wasn’t singing with the boys around the fire, he wasn’t having little conversations with John or Sadie, even his seemingly undying sarcasm was nowhere to be found. You missed his toothy grin, his belly laugh, and the soft smiles he would give to you. It just wasn’t like him to get down like this.

 

You found Arthur staring off into the distance like he often did, his journal in hand, maybe whistling a little tune. You approached him and he nodded at you, returning to his book. You stood behind him and took his hat off, setting it down next to him before resting your hands on his shoulders. He let out a content sigh at your touch. No words needed to be exchanged. You massaged him gently, feeling him finally start to ease up. You put your hands through his hair, brushing it back like he usually did. He leaned back against you, tilting his chin up and flashing you a sad smile. 

 

“You wanna go fishin',” you asked him, trying to find a way to make him talk. 

 

“Ah, you know I’m not much of a fisherman. Why don’t you go ask Javier or Hosea?”

 

“Because I don’t wanna go with Javier or Hosea,” you said playfully. “Besides, nothing too bad. Just catch and release. It’ll be nice.”

 

He begrudgingly got up, placing his hat back on his head, “the things I do for you, boy.”

 

The two of you made your quick goodbyes to the rest of the camp and hopped on your trusty steeds. You rode down to the lake, neither of you making much conversation, you mostly just thinking about how you could approach this with as much tact as possible. He trusted you, and you him, but no matter who it was, you always worried about saying the wrong thing with the right intentions. The last thing you wanted was to make him uncomfortable or upset and this was a situation which could risk that. It wasn’t like you cutting things off, you were simply asking if he was doing okay and what you could do to help. You were far too deep in your own head, but it seems he was too. 

 

You got off your horses at the shore, not bothering to hitch them as they wouldn’t wander too far. You and Arthur pushed the boat out into the water, quickly hopping in and getting your polls baited. Only bobber fishing today, just needed to get him relaxed. After a little while of just calmly watching the water, catching a few fish, you decided to break the silence. 

 

“What’s on your mind?”

 

“What you mean?”

 

“You know what I mean. You’ve gone quiet. What’s going on up there?”

 

He shook his head, “It’s nothing, doll.”

 

“Arthur please,” you set your rod down, getting closer to him, “You can tell me anything, you know that.” 

 

He looked down at his palms, “Can we row back?”

 

“Promise to tell me when we get to shore?”

 

“Promise,” he grumbled.

 

You held you your pinky, “ _ Really _ promise?”

 

Shaking his head, he locked his pinky around yours, “Promise.”

 

He rowed the two of you back to shore, having you hop out and pull the boat up. You found a found a grassy patch and settled down, half facing each other. “Can you please be honest with me? I just want to make sure you’re okay, and if you’re not, figure out how to change that.”

 

He let out a deep breath and took his hat off, placing it next to him, “I just don’t feel right about some things. I mean look at me,” he let out a half-hearted chuckle. “I’m going on 40 years old. You’re young, strong, smart. You’ve got so much future ahead of you. I’m an ugly old man.”

 

You wanted to say something but he continued, “I feel like I’m like I’m holding you back. Sometimes I-,” he took a real shaky breath, his voice cracking, “I feel like you’re with me because I’m convenient. I’m not enough for you, doll. I wish I was.”

 

You could see a single tear drop from his eyes and wash slowly down his cheek. He bit his lip, trying to keep his eyes away from yours. He sniffled and soon you could feel yourself wanting to cry as well. He looked broken. 

 

You placed your hand gently on his cheek, using your thumb to catch his tears. You shook your head, not wanting to believe what you just heard. You dropped your hand from his face, quickly grabbing at both of his. His palms were sweaty and they shook slightly. 

 

“You have no idea just how wrong you are,” you said, your eyes shut tight, trying to keep yourself together. “You are my favorite person on this damn planet. You have taught me so much, not just about hunting or shooting, but being strong, and doing the right thing.” 

 

You opened your eyes, gripping his hands tighter, his eyes finding your own, “I don’t know what I’d do without you and I really don’t like thinking about it. I need you to know, I need you to  _ really know, _ that this, right here, you and me, is the  _ best _ goddamn thing to ever happen to me.

 

Not enough for me,” you shook your head, “You are  **_everything_ ** .”

 

He went to say something but you shushed him, “You are the best-looking thing this country has seen, those eyes of yours could kill a man, and that ass isn’t bad either.” He let out a little chuckle at that one. “Artur Morgan, my sweet, sweet Arthur, I’d marry you if I could,” you said, your tone getting more serious once again, “You’ve got me for the long haul, darling. Ain’t nothing gonna change that.”

 

He put his hands on your face and moved in to give you soft, short kiss. He stuck his pinky out, “Promise?”

 

You locked yours around his, repeating the motion from earlier, “Promise.”

 

He kissed you once again, his lips soft on yours. It was passionate but gentle, what you both needed at that moment. You held onto his face gently, the familiar feeling of his beard being comforting in a way you couldn’t describe. He made you feel safe, he was your rock. 

 

You pulled away, “Next time something’s bugging you, you gotta tell me, darlin’. I’m here for you, no matter what.”

 

“You’re the love of my life, you know that. Seems I fall more and more in love with you every single day.”

 

“I got an idea.”

 

You got up from your spot on the ground, him following close behind, “Now what are you doing, boy?”

 

“You’ll see.”

 

You walked closer to the water, grabbing a few reeds and cattails and handing them to Arthur, letting out a quick “hold onto these” before walking into the woods to find some flowers. You found a few violets and once happy with your supply, you walked back to where you and Arthur were sitting a few minutes ago. 

 

You took the plants from his hands, laying them gently on the ground. You knocked his hat back off and brushed the visible dirt off of his shirt before stuffing some flowers in his breast pocket. You knocked the fluff off of the cattails and set the reeds back down. 

 

You took both of your hands in his, “Follow my lead.” 

 

You began to slowly spin the two of you around, mockingly humming the tune of the wedding march, a goofy grin on your face and a quizzical smile on his. You stopped the spinning and grabbed your hand in his. 

 

“Do you, Arthur Morgan, take me as your wedded husband, to have and hold whether I’m sick or well or stupid or poor, forever and ever?”

 

“Of course I do,” he smiled, that lovely grin of his coming back once again. “Now do you, Y/N, also take me as your husband through all of that and more?”

 

“I do.”

 

He put his hand over his mouth and did a goofy voice, “You may kiss!”

 

You giggled before wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing your lips to his once again. You grabbed the reeds from the ground and took his hand, wrapping the reed around his ring finger and tying a knot, ripping off the long edges. You handed him another one and he did the same to your hand.

 

He looked down at you, a genuine look of happiness in his eyes paired with a slight smile making your heart skip a beat. You could jump for joy with the amount of genuine, unfiltered glee you felt at that very moment. He pulled you into his chest without warning, “Alllll mine.”

 

He let you go after a little while and you landed a playful slap on his ass. The two of you goofed off for a while, the seclusion of the woods allowing you to be far more affectionate than usual and you took absolute advantage of that. Whether it was wrestling or singing, he made things fun. You never laughed harder than when you were with him, nor did you ever feel more comfortable. He was everything you could ever want and now, in your own little way, you could call him yours forever. There was no better man on the planet, you were sure of that. He was perfect. 

 

“When we get back to camp, throw some decent clothes on. I’m taking you out tonight,” he said as the two of you got back on your horses after a few hours alone. “Don’t try to fight it.”

 

You rode back to camp, grabbing lunch and tending to a few chores before getting dressed. You put on some things that you rarely wore. They were clean and looked relatively put together compared to what you usually wore. You found Arthur clad in a white dress shirt with blue suspenders and a grey flat cap. He looked  _ damn  _ good although that was never a real challenge for him. 

 

“Well aren’t you a stud,” he smirked.

 

“Speak for yourself.”

 

“Shame these things are just gonna come off,” he whispered. 

 

“Arthur!” you scolded, leaving a light punch on his chest. 

 

You walked to the hitching posts, not without Arthur taking his turn to spank you. “Where we headed?”

 

“Ride up to Valentine and catch a train to Saint Denis.”

“I thought you hated the city?”

 

“I do, but they’ve got better food and better chance for us to blend in.”

 

“We don’t need to go if you don’t wanna.”

 

“I do. Pearson’s a good cook and the saloons in Valentine ain’t bad but I need something better than damn stew.”

 

“Fair enough,” you chuckled. 

 

You caught the train to Saint Denis and it went by pretty quickly although any time with Arthur usually did. Of course, you couldn’t be too obvious considering the other passengers on the train but it was nice to just have his company. Towards the end of the ride you could feel him dozing, he was no stranger to falling asleep sitting up, hell, he could probably sleep on his feet like a horse.

 

You pulled him from his light sleep and headed off the train. Arthur lead you to a fancy steak restaurant, far too rich for your blood, but this was meant to be your wedding day, no matter how informal or spontaneous it was. 

 

Arthur refused to let you look at the menu, just listing off items so you wouldn’t be concerned about the price. You just ordered steak and potatoes but he made sure to up the quality of your order to something a bit more special. The dinner was real nice and the two of you felt a bit out of place with all the old money in the room but just being with him made you feel a bit better. He would gently stroke your legs with his under the table or just rest his foot on yours, anything discreet to just remind you that he was there. The food was real good too, a nice switch. 

 

After your meal was finished, Arthur paid the waiter, leaving bills under his cup so you couldn’t see how much it was. You gave him a bit of grief but he shut you down real quick, reminding you that “this is our special day” and you “deserved to be treated real well for once.”

 

He led you to the outside of a pub, stopping you to give you direction. “Now, when I get in there I’m going to rent the room out. You walk in a minute or so later, bump into me, I’ll hand you the key and head upstairs. You ask the bartender for a whiskey and make something up about playing blackjack upstairs. Meanwhile, I’ll actually be waiting at the blackjack table. You sneak into the room all quiet. Leave the key in the door and I’ll follow soon after. Then we’re golden. You get all that?”

 

“I’m no stranger to elaborate schemes,” you nodded. 

 

“My boy,” he smiled before heading inside. 

 

You could hear his voice above the other noise of the pub. You had grown to know it well so it wasn’t hard to pinpoint, even in the busiest of crowds. You heard him finishing up and that was your cue. You bumped into his shoulder between tables, whispering “2B” and he slipping the key in your pocket. 

 

You ordered a drink from the bartender, “You folks have blackjack?”

 

“Right upstairs, sir,” the bartender said before returning to his other customers. 

 

You went quietly up the stairs and thankfully only the dealer was facing the direction of the rooms. Arthur stood strategically to block any view he may have had of you. You unlocked the door to the room and closed it quickly, leaving the key in the door just like Arthur asked. 

 

“Good game, boys,” you heard Arthur say, his voice slowly approaching the room. 

 

You heard the lock turn and soon you were faced with Arthur, looking quite pleased with himself at just how well the plan worked out. He hung his hat on the rack and let his suspenders dangle off his shoulders, both of you kicked your boots off. 

 

He put his hand on your thigh, “You ready?”

 

“Always,” you said before attaching your lips to his. 

 

You broke apart to centre yourself on the bed before quickly returning to each other. You began to unbutton his shirt, taking your time. His skin felt so nice under your fingers, the hair on his chest had always been something you found attractive. You pulled apart once again, the both of you tossing your shirts aside and stripping down to your undergarments.

 

He left kisses on your neck and you could feel him growing hard against your thigh. You took the opportunity to force your hips into his, making him settle between your legs. He groaned at the pressure, pressing back into you harder.

 

You slipped your hands under the waistband of his boxers, wrapping your hand around his hard cock and giving him a few good pumps, making him let out a deep moan. You pushed the last of his clothes down to his knees, leaving him to kick them off. He began to kiss down your body, leaving small bruises on your chest. He soon approached your tummy, leaving feathery kisses as he made the slow approach to where you needed him most. 

 

He took your boxers all the way off, throwing them somewhere in the room without bothering to look. He kissed along your upper things, leaving little bites and teasing you endlessly. After sucking a hickey onto your waistline, he finally got to your hard cock. He licked a long, wet stripe up the underside before taking the head into his mouth, pressing his tongue into your slit and sucking gently. You wrapped your hand in his hair, “You feel so good.”

 

He began to bob his head up and down, taking in as much of you as he could, gagging ever so slightly. He felt fantastic around you. The wet heat and suction sent you up into the clouds. You felt yourself getting close to the edge when you pulled him off. 

He hopped off the bed, digging into his satchel for a small bottle of lubricant. It was something you hadn’t seen before. “Some type of cooking oil,” he said as he put some on his fingers. “Alden, the one from the post office, recommended it in passing. Seems anything better than what we been using.”

 

You lowered yourself on the bed, spreading your legs and giving him access to where he needed. He rubbed more oil on his fingers and pressed one into your hole. It went smoother than it usually did, the usual slight pain seemingly gone. He continued with the usual routine, stretching you out in preparation for him. 

 

When you finally felt okay, he spread the oil on his hard cock, settling between your legs and leaning over you. “You ready,” he asked looking up at you.

 

“Always.” 

 

He slowly pushed the blunt head of his aching shaft inside of you, inching his way inside until he was fully sheathed. He gave you a few moments to adjust, waiting for your signal to finally start moving. You gave him a nod and he began to thrust slowly. The feeling of him inside you never got old, he made you feel full and satisfied. 

 

“God, it’s like you were made for me,” he moaned, “So damn tight.” 

 

He grew to know your body more, easily finding the spot that drove you crazy. He began to go harder, nailing your prostate with every quick thrust. You could barely hold it together with just how good you felt. 

 

“So good,” he groaned into your neck. 

 

His thrusts began to get harder, faster, but you still ached for more. You had him pull out of you before you flipped over. You were on your hands and knees now, him kneeling behind you. “I need you to go hard.”

 

“Now that’s no issue,” he said, pushing his cock into you once again.

 

The new position was exactly what you needed. He grabbed at your hips bruisingly tight, thrusting you tight and bringing you back to meet each one of them. He wrapped his arm around you, managing to find your leaking cock and pumping you tight. 

 

“Spank me,” you begged, you needed him to be a bit rough with you. 

 

“That what you want, huh,” he said dominantly, “I can do rough, little boy.”

 

The left a hard smack on your ass and you immediately dropped down to your forearms, “Oh god, daddy,” you groaned. 

 

“God I wish I could hear you get loud,” he grumbled, grabbing your hips and slamming himself into you harder.

 

He left more slaps and continued going hard. You could feel yourself grow closer to the edge when he wrapped his hand around your shaft once again. He rubbed at your slip with his thumb or slid down to cup your balls. He made you feel fantastic. 

 

“You ready, pretty boy?”

 

“Please,” you begged, your voice breathy.

 

With a few more good thrusts, he sent you over the edge. He continued to fuck you through your orgasm, your face pressed into the sheets as he brought himself to finish as well. You felt his cock swell and twitch and the feeling of his cum shooting hot on your insides left you feeling used but in a good way. You loved that feeling and you still couldn’t pinpoint why. 

 

He slowly slid out of you, grabbing rags and cleaning you and the bed up. You turned over on your back, exhausted from the prior events. He slowly washed down your belly and cleaned up near your genitals. 

 

“You are way too good at that,” you breathed peacefully.

 

“Oh it’s not hard when it comes to being in bed with you,” he said, laying down next to you, opening his arms up to let you lay on his chest. 

 

“You’re too kind,” you laughed. 

 

After a while, you looked to his left hand, seeing the reed still knotted around his ring finger, “I’ll get us real rings.” 

 

“I’m not too worried about that,” he said as he stroked his fingers through your hair. “We’ve got all the time in the world. Also I quite like these ones.”

 

“I know, but I’d still like to get them. These little plants won't last forever.”

 

“Apart from the rings, are you wanting to take my name?”

 

“I hadn’t really thought about that,” you answered honestly. “I don’t think anybody’d notice if I started going by Morgan.”

 

“Hm, Y/N Morgan, I quite like the sound of that.”

 

“I think I’ll take it then” you smiled, leaning up to plant another soft kiss on the side of his mouth.

 

He pulled you on top of him, gently grabbing your face to turn the quick peck into a full kiss. “Too handsome for your own good,” you chuckled, softly tapping his nose. 

 

“I’m really stuck with you forever, huh?”

 

“Oh yeah. Forever,” you laughed, him laughing along with you.

 

“Promise,” he said once again, repeating the innocent gesture.

 

“Promise,” latching your finger around his once again, you pressed another quick kiss to his lips before crawling off of him. 

 

He rolled to his side and you snuggled up behind him, wrapping your arm around his waist and tangling your legs together. He always loved being the small spoon but would never dare admit that. Stubborn as an ox he was, but he was yours, and that’s all that mattered. 


	5. Save Me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kidnapped by the O'Driscoll gang, you need to fight to survive.
> 
> *Influenced by canon kidnapping and scenes from the Last of US

It was late, the light of the moon providing a dim light through the camp. Arthur was asleep in your arms, snoring softly in his peaceful state. Unfortunately, you had drunk a bit too much before hitting the hay, and your bladder was ready to explode.

You softly slipped out of bed and put your boots on. You groggily walked a little past the tree line to go and take a piss. You heard noises in the trees, “Probably just a deer,” you thought to yourself.

As you undid your zipper, you thought you heard the noises getting closer. Before you knew it, a hand was placed over your mouth and a gun placed against your temple. “You make a single noise and I’ll shoot you right now,” said a deep voice in a thick Irish accent.O’Driscoll if you’ve ever heard one.

Fear coursed through your body, your heart beating fast enough to feel it in your eyeballs. You tucked yourself back into your pants, putting your hands up before the man kicked you in the back of the knees. You dropped to the forest floor with a hard thump. He pushed you to the ground, hogtying you and gagging you with a cloth. He threw you over his shoulder and began to walk deeper into the woods.

“Think Colm will be pleased with us tonight, lads,” the man said.

Another voice spoke up, “Sure. This rat will certainly draw in the rest of those fuckers.”

The men let out a laugh and soon enough you were thrown over the rear of a horse. It was an awful position to be in, you had never felt more vulnerable. You wanted to scream and beg for help but you knew there was no way you could. When the horse began to go fast, you could feel a horrible pain shoot through your rib cage. You’d broken a rib before and this was certainly the same feeling. You let out a pained groan, only to be met with the grip of a pistol hitting your forehead. The pain was too much, you could feel your forehead bleeding badly. Head injuries always bled worse than they would let on, but you could feel this one was bad. You blacked out.

\--

You came out of your haze to find your arms dangling and an awful headache. They had you strung up from your feet, leaving you in nothing but your pants, boots and shirt somehow discarded. You looked down to see a small puddle of blood. Your forehead had stopped bleeding but it still stung and you could feel the sticky, not quite dry blood on your forehead and clotting in your hair. You looked up to find your ribcage black and blue. You were no stranger to violence, it was part of your everyday life, but this was a new low.

You could hear guards outside the little cellar that you were kept. You began to struggle, not trying to make too much noise, but in your struggle to wiggle loose from the chains, a massive shot of pain struck through you. Your ribs ached, there was no way you could do this. Letting out an audible scream, a guard soon sauntered down the stairs.

“Well, looky here boys. Seems the fag has woken up,” the brute laughed.

More men came down the stairs, “Let’s have a bit of fun then.”

Before you could protest, the men began to throw punches at your back and torso. You were in an excessive amount of pain, you had never felt this awful. You let out cries of pain between blows, only encouraging them to hit harder. You could felt ready to blackout again when they started to lay off of you.

“Now boys,” a man spoke, immediately the rest of the men backed off, you could tell it was Colm. “Cut the bastard down and tie him upright. We don’t want him dying on us. Not yet.”

One of the men grumbled and got his hunting knife out and began to cut your feet loose. You fell on the hard floors, your limp arms just barely catching your fall. You landed on your back, keeling over in pain as it shot through your body. Two men grabbed you and dragged you back to the wall, each of them taking an arm and trying you up the rings against the wall. The blood rushed from your head, only making you feel worse. It was better than keeping it up there, but on top of the pain from the beatings, you were ready to implode. There was no helping you here.

“Clear out,” Colm yelled, leaving you with him alone.

Your chin was at your chest, you were exhausted. Colm kneeled in front of you, putting his dirty fingers under your chin to make you look up at him.

“Hope you’re ready to die for the cause,” he said, a dark smile on his face, “Dutchy is gonna waltz in here trying to save your worthless ass. We’re ending this feud today.” He left a mocking pat on your shoulders before leaving you alone.

As bad as you wanted to call it quits and pass out, you knew that wasn’t an option. You let yourself rest for a brief few minutes before taking a quick look at your surroundings. You tugged at your wrists, only to find that they hadn’t been tied quite tight enough to keep your hands away from each other. You began to tug at the sloppy knots, freeing your hands quickly, embarrassing for how long it took the boys to tie you up. Should you have tried this earlier, you probably could have made it out.

No time to think about that now, though. You searched the room for anything you could use as a weapon. You found an old, dull knife in the desk drawer, but apart from that, all you had was the rope they had used to tie you up in the first place.

You needed to make a sound to lure one of them down here. You found an old tin can and threw it against the hard, brick wall and sure enough, one of the poor saps came on down the stairs. You were waiting, standing parallel to the door frame when he came down. He gave a quick look around before you quickly wrapped the rope around his neck. He dropped the gun he had drawn and choked out a final breath before collapsing. You caught him, laying the body down as slowly as you could. You picked up his gun and luckily it had a few bullets left in it. This was your chance to escape. The sun was starting to rise, meaning the rest of Colm’s brutes were going to be up any minute now. You needed to work fast and effectively.

You tried to stealth out a few of them, all you needed was to get to one of the horses and you could ride off. You cut a few of them, but soon enough, someone spotted you.

“Get up,” the man screamed, ”The bastard escaped, get up!”

You soon had men tailing behind you. You quickly hopped on a horse, digging in hard. Gunshots flew past you, one of them just grazing your arm, but none of them landing. It hurt like a bitch but it could have been much worse.

Four men stay on your tail, gaining on you quickly. You rode as fast as you could, occasionally turning around to try and get a shot at one of them. You shot one’s horse on accident. You hated seeing the lovely beasts die, but right now your life was at stake, and now one less man was following you and that’s what mattered.

More gunshots began to fly but you were able to take out to of the other men, leaving one left riding behind you. As you rode, you turned to look behind you, letting your horse do the steering when he really began to shoot at you. You shot back as best you could with the rusty repeater you had, but you were left helpless when you heard the quiet clicks of an empty magazine. In your moment of carelessness and fear, your horse let out a loud neigh, and soon you were being thrown off.

“You thought you could run, boy,” he sneered.

You were left on the ground, your horse had run away and he slowly approached you. You turned to your belly, spotting your knife under some brush. You began to make your crawl over there, your arms so desperately wanting to give out but you had to keep fighting.

He crept up slowly behind you, giving a quick kick to your stomach, “You’re a fighter, aren’t you, lad.”

You picked yourself back up, just trying to crawl up to the weapon you so desperately needed. He laughed, but you could tell he didn’t know what you were going after. “Just not your style to give up now, is it? I admire your spirit,” he said before landing another blow to your stomach.

You keeled over in pain but you knew you were within reach of the desperately needed weapon. He turned you over and straddled you, going to land a few punches on your face and chest. You reached over under the brush, moving your hands around desperately as his hands moved to your throat.

You gripped the handle of the knife and quickly moved to stab the attacker in the hand. He let out a pained yelp and you took your chance to reverse the hold. You were on top of him, stabbing relentlessly when you heard your name being called. Still, you continued to do what you were doing. Out of anger and exhaustion, you took out everything you had on him.

You felt hands on your shoulders and you panicked, turning around to try to stab whoever was grabbing you but the unidentified figure quickly took your wrists and took the knife away from you. “It’s me,” the voice said, but your head was still clouded by anger and fear.

“It’s me,” the voice said louder. You struggled as they pulled you further into their chest. Out of pure exhaustion, you gave up, only to find Arthur holding onto you tightly.

He sat on his knees and pulled you off the bloodied corpse and into his lap. You let out sobs as you collapsed into his chest. “My boy,” he breathed, burying his face in your hair as you clung to him.

“Arthur,” you cried weakly.

He only shushed you, “It’s okay, darling.”

You barely noticed the sounds of horses trotting behind you. “You find him,” Dutch called out.

“Got him,” Arthur yelled back.

He cradled you in his arms, slightly swaying back and forth, “I’ve got you, doll,” he whispered, “You’re safe now.” 

He helped you get on your feet, helping you onto his horse as you rode back to camp, making sure you weren’t followed. He rode easy, letting you rest against his back, your arms wrapped tightly around him.

You arrived back at camp and quickly the girls began to rush to you. Arthur carried you bridal style, laying you down gently on the bed you’ve turned to share. He lightly traced over the wound on your forehead, making you flinch.

“Step back, Mr Morgan,” Susan said before quickly stepping in. She began to clean you off, cleaning your face and hair with water before taking a whiskey-doused rag and placing it on the barely closed cut. You let out a wince and Arthur flashed a small smile, you could tell he wasn’t feeling right. He looked helpless, he knew that this is what needed to be done and he could never do as good a job as Miss Grimshaw, but he never wanted to see you hurt.

“Tilly, Mary-Beth,” Susan called out, “I need you to get cold compresses going now!”

The girls quickly ran to get water and rags. Miss Grimshaw carefully poked at your clearly bruised torso. You knew your ribs were broken, no doubt about it. The younger girls came over, laying the cold rags along your torso and providing some type of relief. Grimshaw opened a bottle and poured some of the liquid into a spoon, “This’ll help the pain.” You had no idea what it was you were drinking but you didn’t care, you just needed the throbbing to stop.

The women began to clear out, letting Arthur come back finally. He kneeled next to the bed, trying to get face level with you. You felt cleaner and a bit better with the medication Susan gave you but you still felt the worst you ever had.

“How did I let this happen,” he said, looking a bit angry at himself.

“Don’t start with that,” you shook your head, trying to give the firmest tone you could muster, “No one could have known. They could’ve taken anybody, I just happened to be an easy target.”

He nodded, taking in a deep breath, “I thought I lost you,” his voice cracked.

“I was so scared,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. “I just-” you stuttered, “Hold me please.”

Arthur moved immediately, holding you in his arms tight but gentle as he began to hum. You were running on empty and found yourself fading not long after that.

\--

You woke up in what felt like late afternoon, the compresses changed and your forehead redressed. Your body felt tight, your chest ached and you could still feel the ghost of the attacker’s hands around your neck. Your stomach growled after a long, strenuous day without food. You removed the wet rags from your torso and began to get up. It hurt, but not too bad with your back a bit hunched. You felt weak but you were ready to get some food in you.

You began your short walk to Pearson’s table before Arthur quickly jogged over you, letting you put your arm around his shoulders to sit down. He grabbed a bowl of stew for you and you joined a few of the other gang members.

“Now what in the hell happened to you,” Marston said in his familiar, raspy voice.

“Have at least the slightest bit of tact, son,” Dutch gently scolded. “But go on, Mr Y/L/N.”

You explained the story, keeping it fairly brief, talking about how they picked you up sometime in the middle of the night and it lead to you escaping from a camp of O’Driscolls. You gave as many details as you could remember, but a good lot of it had blacked out.

“Shit,” John said shocked, “And you managed to only make it out with a few broken ribs and a head wound? Damn, Arthur, you think I’m lucky? Look at this boy here.”

All four of you at the table let out a chuckle at that one. Arthur put his arm around your shoulders, making you feel a little more comfortable. The gang had grown to know your relationship, and apart from the occasional side comment from Micah, it seemed no one really had much to say about it. Dutch had really made sure that the gang was accepting of most anybody as long as they hadn’t done anything particularly blasphemous. This was a troop of murderers and maybe not in cold blood, but it was a sin nonetheless. You and Arthur were able to show a bit more affection around camp and it felt good but you never liked to push your luck. A simple gesture such as that really did make your day a little bit better.

Casual conversation continued, John and Dutch both giving advice as to how to get those injuries to heal a bit quicker and offering their sympathy. Dutch told you to take time off for a while until you could stand upright and your forehead wasn’t ready to come unstitched at any second.

More gang members came around, each offering their condolences, many asking to hear the story about how you were “kidnapped by the savage O’Driscolls.” You were happy to speak with the gang around the fire, little Jack giving you a hand of flowers and a little note reading “Get well soon, Uncle Y/N.” The sweet, innocent gesture making you feel a bit better. You finished your night singing the usual, crude songs around the campfire with the rest of the boys as Javier played guitar. The moon shined bright over the camp and you and Arthur decided it was time for bed.

You headed back to your shared tent, Arthur changing out of his day clothes and into something looser. He laid down first, opening his arms for you to come and lay on his chest. “How are you feeling, boy?”

“Little better,” you sighed, settling down and enjoying the feeling of being wrapped in his arms. “Chest aches like a bitch but it’ll heal.”

“You gonna peacefully let me coddle you for a bit,” he joked, “or are you gonna fight me?”

“You know I’ll fight,” you chuckled, only to be followed by a yelp of pain, only making him laugh harder.

“Until you can take a deep breath without screamin’, I’ll be tending to you.”

“Guess I’ll just be stuck with you then.”

“Happily, darlin’.”

He planted a kiss to your forehead before making sure you were situated in a way that was comfortable. He was wary of how you were positioned considering your torso was dark with deep bruises and cuts, but you insisted on him staying there. You just needed to feel him, know he was there to protect you in any way you needed. You never liked feeling dependent on someone, but you needed to at this moment. You were weak at this point in time, you needed to rest up and as much as you wanted to deny it, you need him to baby you for a bit. No one had ever cared for you as he did.

You closed your eyes for a brief second but found yourself thinking about the horrible events of the day. Arthur could feel you begin to tense up, “What’s wrong, he asked, “Did I hurt you?”

“No. Never,” you assured him, “I just get a bit anxious is all.”

“Do you wanna talk about it? What happened back there,” he asked, his voice just barely above a whisper. “

“I told you what happened.”

“You told me what happened but you didn’t tell me how you were doing. You’re usually out like a light. Something’s bugging you.”

You nodded. He knew you too well to think you could hide any feelings from him. He knew when you were off. “I think it’s the way it happened,” you sighed.

He nodded, letting you continue, “I was just going out to take a piss and suddenly there’s a gun at my head and I’m being tied up like a cheap bounty. They were savages and I was just so scared.”

“There’s no shame in that,” he reassured, “There was no reason for that and that’s what makes Colm’s gang so god damn bad. Cold-blooded killers, taking down everyone in their path.”

You found a tear dripping down your face, “I’m just scared, Arthur.”

“I know,” he shushed, holding you tightly.

“No, Arthur. I’m scared about what else they could do,” you said sitting up, him following. “I made it out but that’s because they were being sloppy. I got lucky. What if they got one of the women, or Jack, or you, Arthur?”

He nodded, an introspective look on his face he got when he started really thinking about something. You broke the silence again after a few moments, “I don’t know if we can keep this life up, Arthur. I don’t wanna leave it all behind, I love this gang like a family. But I don’t like being in danger. I don’t like worrying about you.”

His eyes met yours and he placed his hand gently on your face, ”We’re gonna get out of here. Not right now, but soon.”

You bit your lip, “You mean it?”

“We’re gonna set up a little house on a little ranch. Fix it up and get some horses. You and me, we start saving our cash, we’ll be able to get outta here. I promise.”

Although yours were busted, you planted a quick kiss on his lips before sticking your pinky out and having it locked around his. “Promise.”

He hugged you, pulling you into his chest and kissed the top of your head. “I almost lost you today and I can’t do that again. Our luck was bound to run out at some point.”

“I just want us to be safe, Arthur.”

“And I will do whatever I can to make our future better. We’ve got years ahead of us and this life, it ain’t worth continuing. I wanna be an honest man. Make honest money. I haven’t done too many good things in my life.”

“You know you mean absolutely everything to me, right? You know that.”

He nodded, giving you another kiss on the forehead, “I love you. I can’t bear to lose you. Best thing that’s happened to me and I’m not going to throw it away on a wild west fantasy.

“I don’t want you to give up on everything for me.”

“I’m not losing anything. I think Dutch will understand that, or at least Hosea will. I’ve been thinking about leaving for a while, but this is a new low.” 

You bit your lip and nodded, “You’re sure about this?”

“You know I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”

He grabbed your hand and began kissing at your sore knuckles, “I want better for us. Better for you.”

You wrapped your arms around him and nuzzled into his neck, taking in the smell of the campfire that lingered on him. “I don’t know how we’re gonna make it out.”

“We’ll find a way.”

You wanted so badly to believe him and a good part of you did, but this life was hard to leave. Arthur was a determined, loyal man. You knew that he wanted this but Dutch would be hard to convince. Arthur has been with these people for decades. This was going to be the hardest thing you’ve ever done.

He rubbed your back gently as you sat in his arms. He was far more clingy than he would let on but it was one of your favorite things about him. He continued to hum as he usually did and you could feel yourself begin to relax Things were going to change for the better, it was just going to take some time to get there. The dream of a little house with a wooden fence and animals to take care of. 

You could never leave the whole life behind. Bounty hunting was in your blood, he was the best shot on this side of the Atlantic. You just wanted to be done with the running, done with O’Driscolls, done with train robbing and thieving and killing people that don’t deserve it. It was time to move on and he knew that maybe even better than you did. 

“Soon,” he spoke. “Real soon.”


	6. A Better Life.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Arthur manage you save enough cash to find a way out of the outlaw life.

Things in the camp seemed to be getting a bit more tense. Dutch was getting a bit slopped and Hosea had to keep a closer eye on him. You and Arthur knew that if you wanted to get out in one piece, you’d need to get out soon. The two of you working tirelessly, picking up every odd job you came across in attempt to get enough money. It seemed you were barely at camp anymore, always doing something in town, hunting, or going into a heist with Dutch. It was taking a toll on you both but you knew this was what it was going to take to get enough cash to ride far, far away from all of this.

 

One you had $1000 that didn’t need to go anywhere else, whether it be on food, clothes, or ammo, you were going to high tail it out of there. You and Arthur split your savings, carrying a bit on you at all times, as did he, the rest stuffed in a small safe hidden with his belongings. You couldn’t hint to anyone that you’d be leaving because it would get around to Dutch. People had big mouths at this camp and the last thing you needed was for someone to rat and probably get you killed.

 

It was a calm night out in the country, you and Arthur sat around the small campfire. It was a little cliffside in New Hanover that you found, not far from Valentine. Horses ran wild and buffalo grazed. It was a nice retreat from the chaos you had found yourself accustomed to.

 

You were in the middle of yet another bounty job but both of you knew that things would get ugly if you went in barely awake. You took the night off, hoping to catch some shuteye and relax for the first time in what felt like forever.

 

You watched him as he counted what money you two had pooled. You were getting closer with each job you completed but it felt like there would never come a day in which you had enough. His eyes went wide for a brief moment before he furrowed his brow, “Now, what is this?”

 

“What is it, darlin’,” you said, worried something might have come up missing.

 

“Y/N, I-,” he stuttered, a look of disbelief on his face, “I think we’ve got enough.”

 

You shook your head, your eyes going wide, “Are you serious?”

 

He nodded his head, excitement coursing through him as his lips upturned to a big smile. “Look here,” he said as you got closer to him. “We’ve got three-hundred even back at camp. At now count this.”

 

He handed you the wad of cash and you went through it. You had close to $650 in your hands, although with how frantically you were counting, you could have missed a few bills.

 

“We’ve got this $80 bounty and we still have those watches we found on the last few sons of bitches.”

 

“Arthur…” you trailed off in disbelief, “Arthur!”

 

“Get over here,” he grinned, pulling you to straddle his lip for a deep kiss. “We’re getting out of here.”

 

You felt happy tears fill your eyes, one of them slipping down your cheek as you couldn’t help but give a massive smile. He held onto your face, brushing away the tears with his thumb before pulling you into him again.

 

“We’re really gonna do this,” you breathed, “It’s finally happening.”

 

“We’re gonna be living the high life.”

 

He brushed your hair back behind your ear and took his hands in yours. He studied your face as if it was the first time he saw it, taking in this moment for as long as he could.

 

You got off of him and put the money back in his satchel, wrapping it tightly in the cloth you used to conceal it. He pulled you to sit with him, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and letting you press your weight against him.

 

“I think I want to try something different tonight,” he whispered.

 

“What do you mean, honey?”

 

He shifted slightly, “I mean, uh, I think- I think I want to try receiving.”

 

You looked up at him, gently rubbing your fingers through his beard, “You do?”

 

He nodded, going a bit timid.

 

“We can do that,” smiled, returning to your previous spot, straddling his hips. “Have you tried it before?”

 

“No,” he shook his head, “Thought about it a long time ago, but never found the right person.”

 

“You’re sure you want to?”

 

“You _are_ my husband,” he stressed with a half-smile, “I trust you with my life.”

 

“Well, no time quite like now.”

 

He let out a little giggle before pulling you closer, kissing you sweetly before letting it grow deeper. You slipped your tongue into his mouth, exploring and rubbing against his own. One of his hands took a light hold of your hair, keeping your head close to his while the other snaked around your waist. You began to move your hips slightly, providing a bit of friction to get the two of you going.

 

You pulled away from him, still catching your breath, “How about we take this to the tent, hm?”

 

He nodded and you separated, moving quickly into the tent. You began to undress him slowly, really taking your time. Once his shirt was off, you moved to your own, going a bit more quickly. You pressed a kiss to his lips before traveling down his body. You sucked a mark below his collar bone, just out of sight if he had his shirt on. Your hands stroked his strong, hairy chest, taking in his body just like the first night you were together.

 

You parted to get yourselves undressed, returning when down to your undergarments. He sat facing you and you kneeled between his spread legs. You pushed him slightly, having him lay down. He rubbed his hands against your chest as you kissed him. You began to grind your hips into his slowly, feeling his half-hard cock pressed against you. A deep groan left his mouth as you continued to press yourself into him.

 

You broke from his lips, crawling down his body once again. You kissed below his naval, dragging your tongue just above his waistband. He propped himself up on his forearms, watching your actions with bright eyes and parted lips.

 

You began to tug his boxers down and he lifted his hips, letting you take them off fully. You took him in your hand, jerking him off slowly as you pressed tender kisses on the inside of his thighs. He was fully erect in your hand now and you licked up from base to tip. You went slow, feeling each vein of his cock under your tongue. Sweet, deep little moans left his lips, his eyes closing lightly as you tended to him. You bobbed your head up and down and he pressed his hand to the back of your head, encouraging you to take in as much of him as you could. You hummed around him, sending sweet vibrations through his body and further adding to the pleasure he was feeling.

 

You pulled off of him, returning to his lips briefly. “You still have that oil?”

 

He nodded, “In my bag.”

 

You reached over to find his satchel, digging through until you found the familiar little bottle. You pressed one more kiss to his lips before returning to your spot between his legs. You spread them further, propping him up with his knees bent and feet flat on the ground, exposing him to you.

 

You could feel him begin to tense up, he had never been in this vulnerable in a position and you could tell it was getting to him a bit. This was brand new.

 

“You’re sure,” you asked, rubbing his thighs and tummy gently in attempt to get him to ease up.

 

“I trust you,” he nodded, grabbing a pillow from behind him and pushing it under his head, laying down more comfortable now.

 

“This is going to feel a bit strange, maybe a bit painful,” you said as you lubed up your fingers, looking at him to make sure he was still okay.

 

He just nodded, biting his lip. You rubbed your hands up and down his body once again before scooting in closer to him. With the oil on your fingers, you began to push a finger into him slowly. You inched your way inside and you spotted him wincing.

 

“Talk to me, sweetie,” you said quietly, just wanting to make sure he was alright.

 

“It’s okay,” he nodded, taking in a deep breath.

 

“Don’t be a hero,” you replied, “You tell me if it hurts, okay?”

 

He nodded yet again, “It’s okay, just different. “

 

Once your finger was all the way inside of him, he took in another deep breath, “Can I move.”

 

“Go.”

 

You started to move just slightly, pumping your finger just an inch or two at a time. You switched angles, trying to find his prostate.

 

“I’m going to push in another finger now.”

He winced again as you started to enter your middle finger. You took his hand in yours, gripping onto him and feeling him squeeze you back. You moved your fingers in and out of him and soon you found it.

 

His body jolted slightly as you passed over his prostate, “What the hell was that?”

 

“Does it feel good,” you said as you stroked his palm.

 

“Very,” he sighed.

 

You began pushing over the same spot and felt him ease up below your touch. His eyes went shut again as you stroked his most sensitive spot. You scissored your fingers, stretching him wide enough to take a third finger. You pushed into him once again, making sure he was ready for you. The pain quickly turned into pleasure, faster than previously. Small groans left his mouth with the final few pumps you gave him.

 

“You think you’re ready,” you asked as you continued to please him.

 

“Do you think I’m ready?”

 

“I’m asking you, darlin’,” you smiled.

 

“I- I think so,” he said, suddenly going timid again.

 

“You’re doing so well,” you whispered, switching your position, now standing on your knees.

 

You went to grab the oil again before he grabbed your wrist, “Let me.”

 

He pushed the oil onto his hand and began to stroke you. Your cock was slathered in the lubricant and aching in his palm, you wanted this so bad.

 

You pushed him back down once again and settled yourself between his legs. You pressed into him slowly, kissing his face and trying to keep him relaxed. You felt his body tighten once again as you inched your way in.

 

“Stay calm, darlin’,” you whispered, “Ease up.”

 

He put his hands on your face and brought you in to kiss him. You continued to push in until you were fully pressed inside of him. You let out a gasp and he held you close. His head tilted back as his back arched, pressing his chest into yours. You took hold of his thigh, wrapping his legs around your waist as you let him adjust.

 

“You feel so good, doll,” you cooed into his ear.

 

He let out of a groan before gaining his confidence, “Move.”

 

You began to move your hips, slow and gentle for him to get used to the feeling. His nails dug into your back as you began to go over his most sensitive spot. One of his hands moved into your hair as he buried himself into your neck, his beard scratching your sensitive skin.

 

You tested the waters, pressing into him a bit faster now and he let out a deep moan. You kept your pace, thrusting in and out of him harder and faster as his heels dug into your back, keeping you close. He pulled your face to kiss him once again, his tongue exploring as he moaned into your mouth.

 

“You feel- feel so good,” he groaned.

 

You pulled away from his slightly, able to thrust into him harder. His bit his lip before letting his mouth hang open again. How you wished you could remember this image forever. He looked stunning as he fell apart under your touch, soft moans and groans continuing to leave his mouth.

 

You reached between you, grabbing his leaking cock and stroked him in time with your thrusts. He squeezed tightly around you and you could tell he was close. He grabbed onto you tight as you rolled your hips.

 

“You almost there, doll,” you panted.

 

He nodded, breathing heavy, “So close.”

 

You continued to stroke him and he clenched around you, his cum splattering on both your stomachs as you got what you needed to push you over the edge. Pleasure shot through your cock as you painted his walls with your spunk. He held you tight to him as you rode out your highs. You pressed your lips to his, taking him all in.

 

His grip loosened around you, his legs dropping back to the soft ground. You took a moment before pulling out, letting both of you catch your breath. You came out slowly and he let out a little whine.

 

You grabbed a loose cloth and began to wipe him down. You pressed the cloth against him as you began to drip out of him, it was a horribly erotic sight, but you felt so much closer to him. You cleaned off his belly, presses kisses to his sweat-covered skin. You gave yourself a once-over before helping him sit up. You took the spot behind him and let him lean back against you. His eyes were still closed, still breathing hard.

 

“You did so well,” you whispered, pressing kisses to the side and back of his head.

 

He let out a pleased groan, sliding his hand back to reach into your hair, “You felt so good.”

 

You brushed your hands up and down his chest before he caught his bearings once again. He tried to get up but he winced.

 

“I’m sorry it hurts, darlin’,” you said concerned, helping him up, “You might be a little soar for a while.”

 

“I’m not moving far,” he smirked.

 

You gave him an odd look before he tackled you to your back, pressing your arms above your head. You attempted to wrestle with him but of course, he won. You laughed at how even in his tired state, he could still physically overpower you. He made you feel safe.

 

He took a moment to look at your face in the dim light, looking straight into your eyes with a slight smile on his face.

 

A grin came over his face and he let out a little laugh, “We’re getting out, sweetheart. We’re getting out.”

 

You pressed your lips to his, “We’re doing it, we’re gonna have a life with horses and a house and just… you.”

 

You swooned at his statement. You had dreamt of this day for so long and you finally had the cash saved to do it. Leaving people behind would be hard but you knew you had to do it. You were sick of feeling scared and you were sick of sleeping in a tent. You wanted a place to call home, a place for you and Arthur to live peacefully, even if you could never fully escape this life.

 

“Let me show you something,” you said, having him crawl off of you.

 

You searched through your bag, finding a newspaper you had picked up in town last week while Arthur grabbed the bounty poster. You flicked through it until you found the ad you had circled.

 

**_The Loft_ **

_Just a few miles from Annesberg_

_Over 5 acres of land_

_$550_

 

Arthur looked at the advertisement, his eyes reading it over and over again. He shook his head in disbelief, “Y/N, we’ve gotta get this place.”

 

You felt yourself wanting to cry again out of the pure joy you felt at that moment, “It’s just perfect, isn’t it?”

 

He slung his arm around your shoulder, pulling you close. “Things are gonna work out for us.”

 

\--

 

You woke up to find him brewing coffee over the campfire. He had moved the blanket to cover your shoulders, making sure you were covered as the mornings got cool. You sat up and slipped your trousers on, greeted by a warm cup of coffee and an even warmer smile. He sat on a log and you sat in front of him between his legs, both of you enjoying the silence as the sun still shone orange over the cliffs of the country-side. You leaned your head on his knee, looking up at him to flash him a smile.

 

“Mornin’, doll,” he greeted, gently rubbing the side of your face.

 

He began to hum a little tune and you let your eyes fall closed. He continued to rub your face as you slowly finished your coffee. You loved moments like this and they couldn’t come often enough.

 

“You almost ready to head out,” you asked him.

 

“Soon,” he nodded. “I just want to be here with you right now.”

 

Your heart melted at the statement. Arthur had grown more confident, sharing his affections more often and not hesitating too much to talk about things with you. He wasn’t a man of many words when it came to speaking with others and you knew no one would believe you if he said he had grown to speak more than a few times a day. His voice was one of your favorite sounds in the world.

 

After a short while, the two of you got dressed and tore down the campsite. You rode hard to the location of the bounty, fairly quick job. The man was arrested for embezzlement and businessmen were almost always runners and not shooters. You were able to tackle him to the ground when Arthur caught him off guard, hogtying him and running him back into town.

 

After you dumped the crook into the sheriff’s office and collected the cash, you and Arthur began your trip up to Sugar Pine. You had a fairly long ride ahead of you.

 

“So if-”

 

“When,” he corrected.

 

“When,” you smiled, “When we get this place, how are we gonna sneak out?”

 

“I don’t know exactly,” he admitted. “What I’m more worried about is how I’m gonna tell John.”

 

You nodded. The two men were raised together and you’d both be lost if ties ended up getting cut. Arthur and John were practically brothers and you had grown close with the family as well.

 

You paused, taking in a breath, “What if he came with us?”

 

He looked over at you, “You mean that?”

 

“Look, the ranch has more than enough land and I know Abigail keeps an emergency fund. We’ve seen far worse, we can make it work.”

 

A smile came over his face, looking up at the sky, “I’ve been telling that boy to run for years.”

 

“And now you can make him,” you grinned back.

 

You and Arthur goofed off for the rest of the ride to the bank. Things finally felt like they were looking up which wasn’t a feeling either of you were used to. It was nice being out and just riding with him and you knew you’d soon be able to experience this far more.

 

You arrived at the bank and quickly dusted him off, making sure the both of you looked fairly tidy. He took the lead and met the teller.

 

“Sir, I saw this ad in the paper and was wondering if I could take up the offer,” he said as he handed over the paper.

 

You stood back a bit, hands folded behind your back as you tried to make it look like you weren't staring too hard.

 

The teller looked at the ad, reading over it fairly quickly, “Ah yes, I see,” he said to himself. “Right back this way.”

 

The teller came from behind the office to lead you into a more official office. A man with a fancy suit and pipe sat behind a large wooden desk.

 

“How can I help you, sirs?”

 

“Lookin’ to buy the place in your paper,” Arthur said, the teller handing the man the ad.

 

“Sure, and this is,” he asked, directing towards you.

 

“Business partner,” you nodded.

 

The man continued, looking at Arthur, “Now do you have to money to buy this place?”

 

Arthur dug into his satchel and unwrapped the cash, counting out $550 and handing it to the banker. The man’s glasses slid down his nose as he counted it out once again, looking over the bills a few times.

 

“Very well,” he said as he shuffled through his desk. “Here’s the paperwork.”

 

Arthur took the papers from him and began to flick through. It was just big, fancy words all pointing at you now being responsible for the house. The rest of the interaction went fairly quickly as Arthur just had to sign a few things to get the property in his name. It was relatively painless. The big man behind the desk handed Arthur the deed and sent you two on your merry way. It went just fine.

 

You and Arthur stepped out into a dark corner, somewhere more tucked away. You couldn’t hide just how happy you were, a light skip in your step and a wide grin on your face. He took a quick look around before giving you a look.

 

You pressed him to the wall of the building you hid behind and pressed your lips to his. This was what you had been dreaming of for such a long, long time and it was finally coming to fruition.

 

“We’re doing it,” he said with that lovely grin of his.

 

“I’m at a loss for words,” you shook your head.

 

“I’ve got enough. I love you,” he said before kissing you once again.

 

“That was cheesy but I’ll allow it,” you teased.

 

He swiped his thumb along your cheek before leading you back to the hitching post, “Let’s go and see this place, hm?”

 

“Let’s ride.”

 

You arrived at the marked location after a few short miles. It was different than you had expected, although looking at the location, it made a bit more sense. It was just north of O’Creagh’s Run, not far out from where you and Arthur had spent many hunting and fishing trips.

 

A tall building stood over some rocks, you had never seen a cabin that looked like this before. It different, but it suited the two of you. The top of the cabin was more of a deck, it made the place seem like a bit of a watchtower

 

You and Arthur hopped off your horses and approached the property. You stood back in awe, looking over what you guys had just bought with a deep sense of pride.

 

His hand wrapped around your waist, standing to your right, “Not much for cows, but we could sure raise a few goats up here.”

 

“I’d like that.”

 

You stood in silence for a few moments, taking in the outside of the house, “Why don’t we go take a look then,” he asked.

 

“Absolutely.”

 

He took your hand in his as you walked through the door. The place was cozy and surprisingly well kept. You could already feel yourself bonding to your new home, the fantasies you had built only coming closer and closer to reality. This place was yours.

 

You headed to the upper level and onto the deck. The cabin looked over the beautiful nature of New Hanover, the view taking your breath away. You pressed your hands to the railing, taking in the sight before you as you felt Arthur wrap his arms around your torso, bringing his chin to rest on your shoulder.

 

“This is ours,” he whispered, his warm breath ghosting against your neck, “Forever.”

 

“This place is more perfect than I could have imagined,” you said, gently shaking your head.

 

“Any place I’m alone with you, darlin’, is perfect to me. This view is just a bonus.”

 

\--

 

You and Arthur had ridden back to camp for the night. The sun was still setting when you arrived and you and Arthur knew that it was now or never to get John and Abigail in on your plan. It was going to take a lot of hard work to sneak out unscathed and you knew that all too well.

 

You said your casual greetings to your acquaintances and gave a friendly greeting to Dutch. You didn’t hold anything against him, you just knew that this life wasn’t the one that you wanted to live. It ages a man fast and he knew that; you just didn’t want to put your life on the line anymore.

 

You scribbled a little note to John on some paper Arthur had given you:

 

_Meet me in the woods after camp goes quiet._

_I’ll explain then._

 

You walked over to where he was standing on the outer perimeter of the campfire. You did your best to subtly hand over the note, giving him a slight nod before moving away, trying to keep as best cover as you could.

 

“Gonna grab a beer,” he said as he got up.

 

He walked over to Pearson’s wagon and grabbed a bottle before quickly looking over the note you gave him. He stuffed it back in his pocket before returning the circle. Javier continued to softly play his guitar as Hosea told stories of his younger days. John flashed you a quick, knowing look. You mouthed a “thank you” before returning your attention to the rest of the gang.

 

A half hour passed and the sun had gone down completely now, people were starting to head to bed, only Karen, Bill, and Javier left joking around the fire. Arthur sat up, doodling in his journal when you got up and got your boots back on.

 

“I’m gonna go wait for John,” you said as you finished tugging your boots on.

 

“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

 

“Someone will be suspicious if they see you two sneaking off at night,” you told him, “People don’t keep too many tabs me.”

 

He let out a sigh, “Guess you’re right.”

 

You placed a sweet kiss on the top of his head, ruffling his hair which made him flash you a playful glare. You secured your gun belt around your hips and walked past the treeline into where you and John had grown to spend a lot of time. People didn’t bug you out here and no one else apart from Jack and Arthur even knew about it. You and John always kept things discreet. You talked about heavy things a lot of the time, neither of you wanted to be bothered when it came to times like that. Arthur liked that the two of you had grown close. He spent his most formative years with John and seeing you two get on so well made his heart soar.

 

You made the little trek to your secret spot and waited for him patiently. You enjoyed the sounds of the quiet night, being mindful of your surroundings and letting your eyes adjust. John came stumbling through after not too long.

 

“Sorry I took so long,” he started, “Jack was having a hard time getting to sleep.”

 

“It’s no problem,” you assured him.

 

“Thank you,” he nodded. He took a seat on a fallen tree, lighting a smoke. “Now how can I help you.”

 

You took a moment, getting your words together before laying it out flat, “Arthur and I are leaving.”

 

“Holy shit,” he said a tad too loud. You quickly shushed him before he continued, “What do you mean, where are you going?”

 

“We bought a place up near Annesberg,” you replied, a slight smile coming to your face as you thought about it. “Gonna start a little farm up there. Nothin’ too big.”

 

He took a second, nodding and taking in the information he just heard, “Well, I’m happy for you two.”

 

“It doesn’t end there.”

 

“Well don’t let me stop you.”

 

“John, Arthur and I talked it over and, you don’t have to of course, but,” you took in another breath, trying to phrase this as best as possible. “We want you and your family to come with us.”

 

“Y/N. I couldn’t do that-”

 

“Just wait. Arthur and I have a good amount of cash left over. Between that and maybe a bank loan, we can help get you started and build another house on the land. We’ll figure out the fine details when we get there but I just need you to take a moment and think about it.”

 

“I’d still have to get Abigail on board,” he said.

 

“You know for a fact she’s been dying to get out. John, I know you’re thinking this is all a bit questionable but we’ve got a lot of space. Do you want Jack growing up around all this gunfire?”

 

He looked for something to say but you could tell he couldn’t find the words. Seconds felt like full hours as you watched the expression on his face change to something you could barely read.

 

“Okay,” he said after a good while. “We’ll come.”

 

“You mean that, Marston?”

 

“Yeah,” he nodded. “You’re right. Always are.”

 

“‘Bout time you learned that,” you chuckled, him laughing along with you.

 

“You get back now,” he said as he finished his cigarette. “I’ll wait for a few minutes. You get Arthur up to date.”

 

“Yes, sir,” you smiled. “Get to bed soon, we’re sneaking out tomorrow night.”

 

“Tomorrow night?”

 

“No time like now,” you said as you walked away.

 

You arrived back to your tent, Arthur still writing and drawing away with the low light of the lantern. He put his journal down as you approached him. You took off your belt and kicked off your boots before taking your spot next to him.

 

“How’d it go,” he asked in a quiet voice.

 

“They’re comin’,” you grinned.

 

A wide smile came overtook his face, “God damn.”

 

“Gettin’ closer and closer to the good parts, Mr. Morgan,” you said, leaning into him.

 

He put his journal down and brought the blanket up. Arthur put his arm down, letting you use it as a pillow as he lay on his side. You faced him, folding your arms between you two as your legs rubbed against each other. He made sure you were both covered before pressing a kiss to your forehead, letting it go on for a little longer than normal.

 

Your eyes fell shut as the heat of your bodies mixed. He whispered some sweet little nothings into your ear as you let yourself drift off although you knew your dreams couldn’t compare to just how great reality was for you at this very moment. 


	7. Leaving.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You spend your last day at camp, spending time with those close before it was inevitably time to move on.

“So where we storin’ this thing,” you said as you pat the large, wooden wagon.

 

“Far enough away from camp so no one will notice but far enough for lugging our stuff to not be a bitch,” he responded as he fed the large work horses.

 

Tonight was the night you and the Marstons were going to finally be leaving the camp and it was everything you could hope for. You and Arthur had a lovely home that you couldn’t wait to make your own and now your best friends would be living next door. It was going to be hard to say goodbye to the people you had grown so close to, but you needed to do what was in your best interest. Loyalty wasn’t worth having your life cut short and Arthur agreed with that. 

 

“How are you feeling,” you asked as you approached him. 

 

“I’m good,” he nodded. “Look at us getting all domesticated.”

 

“You’ll always be my outlaw,” you smiled. “Can never get the wild out of you.”

 

You got on your horses and made your way back to camp. It was a pretty decent ways from camp but nothing you couldn’t manage considering you’d only be carrying a trunk or two each. You couldn’t risk someone stumbling on the little wagon so this was well worth it. 

 

You took your time with everybody today, playing dominoes and poker with folks around camp and spending time with some of them individually. You did more than your share of chores and just tried your best to make sure that your last day around these lovely people would be a good one.

 

Arthur approached you later in the day, pulling you off to a quiet corner of the camp, “You alright?”

 

“Yeah,” he nodded, “I just- I think I want to tell Hosea we’re leaving. Face-to-face I mean, and I didn’t want to do that without you being there. I just think he deserves to know and no one will get through to Dutch in the end like he can.”

 

“He deserves to know,” you agreed. “Why don’t you go get him and we’ll meet in the saloon in Valentine. I’ll get us a booth.”

 

“You’re a smart one,” he smiled. “You’re sure you don’t want to just do it here?”

 

“I’m sure. I’ll see you in a little bit.”

 

He ruffled your hair and gave a quick peck to your forehead, “See you in a little bit.”

 

You walked to the hitching posts and Arthur towards Hosea’s tent. You hopped on your horse and rode fast into the little cattle town, enjoying the silence and bonding time with your horse. You slowed as you looked over the familiar streets. It wasn’t worlds away from where you’d be, but it was far enough away to feel a bit sad entering it. It was a good sad and Valentine wasn’t much of a town anyway, but you had plenty of good memories here nonetheless. Just another town to leave behind is all. 

 

You pushed through the little shutters and ordered yourself a drink before sitting down in a booth in the corner. You waited for the two men and not 5 minutes passed before they pushed in as well. You gave them a quick wave and they each bought a beer before coming to sit down, Hosea sitting across from you and Arthur. 

 

Arthur set his hat on the table and Hosea did as well before taking a sip of his drink, “Now what’s this news Arthur has been telling me about?”

 

“You wanna do the honors,” you asked, turning to Arthur. 

 

“Sure,” he said, taking a moment to collect himself. He took in a deep breath before laying it out, “We’re leavin’.”

 

A smile came over Hosea’s face and he let out a little chuckle before taking another swig of his beer, “My boy, I figured you were.”

 

“You’re not upset, are you,” you said back quickly.

 

“Not at all,” he smiled. “No, I just had a feeling. The two of you have really been busting your asses, and no offense, Arthur, but you’re not the type do that without a motive.”

 

“You still got it, old man,” Arthur laughed. 

 

“I hope the two of you make it work, I really do. It’s hard getting out of the life and far too easy to slip back into. I know I’ve told you the stories of me and Bessie. You’ve both got good heads on your shoulders and I trust you know what you’re doing.”

 

The three of you continued to joke around over a few drinks. Hosea seemed happy and hopeful and it was bittersweet. He kept repeating how proud he was of Arthur for finding what was right for him and what a fine man he had grown into. He didn’t fail to sing your praises either. 

 

You pat Arthur’s shoulder, “I need to go grab something from the store. I’ll meet you back outside.” You flashed him a wink and he gave you a little smile. 

 

You exited the table and let them have their little moment. You walked over to the store and grabbed some provisions and restocked on ammo. You grabbed a few packs of cigarettes and a bottle of brandy and a gift for Hosea and made your way outside. 

 

You looked over to see the two men standing on the side of the saloon, holding each other in a tight embrace before pulling away. Hosea put his hands on Arthur’s shoulders, clearly saying something you couldn’t make out. Arthur nodded as he spoke, a sad but hopeful look on his face. They hugged once again before pulling apart. 

 

You waited a moment before walking over to where they stood and pulled the newly bought items out for Hosea. 

 

“Just a little parting gift,” you smiled as you handed them over. 

 

“That’s kind of you, Y/N,” he said with a smile.

 

He tucked the items away before opening his arms up for a hug you gladly accepted. He began to whisper in your ear, “Meet me at the edge of camp when we get back.”

 

You nodded as you pulled away. Arthur placed a gentle hand on your back, just a sign he was there. Hosea lit a cigarette before mounting his horse and the two of you followed his lead, making more casual conversation on the short ride back. 

 

You hitched your horses and Arthur sat down at the poker table. Hosea shot you a look and you followed him off to the cliffside that overlooked New Hanover. You sat down on one of the rocks and looked out, him taking a seat to your left. 

 

“Hope I didn’t scare ya by asking you to talk with me,” he said as he lit his cigarette, “I just wanted to share some things.”

 

“Never,” you smiled, “I always enjoy our talks.”

 

“Ah you with your unfaltering flattery,” he teased before getting more serious. “I just wanted to let you know how much you’ve done for Arthur. My boy, he’s always seemed to attract the wrong time of people and I mean it when I say that I couldn’t have hand-picked someone better for my boy than you. I’ve watched him grow up, known him longer than his real parents did, so, of course, you can expect that fatherly form of protection.”

 

“I hope I’ve lived up to what you want for him. You’ve raised an amazing man and I can only hope to treat him half as well as he deserves.”

 

“You’ve done far more than that, son. He’s grown more in the months you’ve been with him than he has in the past ten years. The main reason I wanted to talk to you is to tell you just how thankful I am for getting him into the place he is. You care for him in a way no else can and you seem to have brought out a whole new, wonderful side to him that not even I’ve seen before.”

 

You smiled to yourself, at a loss for words. You went to try to think of something before he continued on. 

 

“You know he talks about you all the time.”

 

You were surprised, Arthur wasn’t much of a talker and sure, you were a big part of his life but he was never the type to get vulnerable with other people besides you. _ I guess Hosea is an exclusion from that _ , you thought to yourself. “Does he now?”

 

“Can never talk to him without bringing you up. You’ve got the toughest, meanest, and most intimidating of us all wrapped around your finger,” he chuckled. “He’s painted quite the picture of you, Y/N.”

 

“He talk about how he’s feeling about all this?”

 

“He’s not sad about it if that’s what you’re worried about,” he smiled. “Only full of hope. Couldn’t stop going on about how excited he is to not only have a home, but know that you’re in it.”

 

You smiled to yourself once again and Hosea put his arm lightly around your shoulders, “I’ll miss seeing the two of you around here, but rest assured knowing I’m nothing but ecstatic about you leaving.”

 

“I’m gonna miss it a bit. There are lovely people here. And please, Hosea, know you’re welcome to visit any time.”

 

“I’ll be sure to. Near Annesburg, right?”

 

“Just a bit east,” you nodded.

 

“Best get back to the group,” he said before getting up. 

 

“Thank you for everything,” you said before he pulled you into a quick hug once again. 

 

“One more thing. You going by Morgan now?”

 

“Sort of,” you shrugged, “Nothing too official but we’re married everywhere but in the eyes of God,” you joked. 

 

“It suits you.”

 

The two of you walked back to the main group and parted ways. The sun was going to be setting soon so you took your time with each of the people in the camp, enjoying one last bowl of Pearson’s stew and one last out-of-tune rendition of the Ring Dang Doo. Abigail was sitting with Arthur at the table in his tent. He had a pencil and paper in hand and you could tell he was transcribing letters for her.

 

You had one last dance with Mary-Beth and one last beer with beer with Karen. One more game of dominoes with Tilly and witnessed one last breakdown of poor old Reverend. You sat through one last exaggerated story from Bill and one last little song from Javier’s guitar. One last bathing lecture from Susan and one last shitty joke from Sean. One last poker game with the boys, one last argument between Dutch and Molly. One last, one last, one last.

 

You sat with Arthur in your tent as he continued to scribble down letters to Sadie, Charles, Lenny, and Dutch. You could tell things were really starting to set in for him as his movements got more tense with the final letter to Dutch. Dutch wouldn’t take well to you folks leaving, especially since you were taking the Marstons with you, but that couldn’t halt the fact that you needed to get out in order to make something of yourselves. He folded and addressed each letter and set them on the bedside table before looking at you with a sad smile. 

 

“You okay,” you asked as you took his hand in yours. 

 

“More than okay,” he said before pressing a kiss to your palm and nuzzling into it lightly. 

 

Camp had gone quiet now and it was time to tidy things up. You tucked away your things into your clothing trunk, only taking the bare minimum. Arthur took down the old photos of his parents and wrapped them in old shirts to keep them safe. He took an extra moment to look at the one of him, Dutch, and Hosea, a look of nostalgia washing over him. You put a light hand on his back, pulling him out of his trance.

 

“I’m gonna go check on John while you finish up here,” you said as he packed up his pillows and blankets between the two trunks. 

 

“Make sure you stay quiet,” he nodded. 

 

You pecked his cheek before quietly walking over to the dimly lit Marston tent. You brushed lightly against the canvas, asking a “may I come in” before Abigail lifted the flap and ushered you inside. Little Jack was asleep on the bed and John was stuffing as much as he could into his case. 

 

“You folks almost ready,” you asked in a hushed tone.

 

“Just about,” John said before closing up the trunk. “Everyone asleep?”

 

“Yeah, I made sure of it.”

 

“Who’s keeping watch?”

 

“Charles, but we aren’t leaving that way.”

 

“How about you, Mrs. Marston?”

 

“I’m so excited,” she said with a bright grin, “I can’t thank you and Arthur enough.”

 

“It’s no problem, Abigail.”

 

Abigail gave one more look around the little tent, making sure she had packed up all of Jack’s favorite books and his special toys into his little box before going over to the bed and woke him up gently. 

 

John made sure he was properly awake before putting the boy on his shoulders, instructing him to hang on tight while he carried the trunk out of the tent. Abigail took the lightest of the boxes and you met back up outside of Arthur’s tent. 

 

“All ready,” Arthur asked. 

 

“Absolutely,” Abigail answered happily. 

 

“Let’s get on then.”

 

You looked over the quiet camp once more, a bittersweet feeling it was. You picked up your box before following Arthur out towards where you stowed the wagon. It was a hard walk with the amount of weight you were carrying, but it was a one-trip operation. You got everything loaded and fed the workhorses before calling your own. Your’s and Arthur’s horses came trotting towards your position and Old Boy came in tow. You saddled up and had the other horses follow you as John and Arthur took the reigns while Abigail and Jack rode in the back of the wagon. 

 

It was a long ride up to your new home, quiet in the dead of night, but it was a ride full of hope and just a touch of sadness. It was hard leaving these people behind, but it was better knowing where you were going. This was the start of a new chapter and a good chapter you knew it would be. 


	8. A Start.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your first day in your new home was a successful one, although you learned something about Arthur you hadn't before.

It was really late when you arrived at the Loft. Jack was asleep in Abigail’s and John and Arthur had gone quiet, both of them drowsy. You rode beside the wagon, looking out for trouble and keeping the horses in line. It was a long ride, but you made it before the sun began to rise. 

 

You pulled up to the tall building and people seemed to catch their second wind. “This is quite the place you’ve found,” John said, sounding impressed

 

“Proud to call it home,” you smiled back. 

 

You hitched the horses as they parked the wagon, feeding them quickly before returning to the rest of the group. Jack clung to Abigail like a baby koala as John helped her down off the wagon. You and Arthur grabbed blankets from your things and headed inside, laying them down as a make-shift bed for the Marstons for the night in front of the fireplace. 

 

“John,” Arthur started, “You build a fire for them while me and Y/N start unloading.”

 

“You sure,” he asked back, “I could handle the boxes.”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Arthur said before going back outside and you followed. 

 

You took the few boxes you had brought with you and brought them in one-by-one, no plan to unpack tonight, just wanted to get your things out of the elements. You stacked the trunks in the corner and soon the heat of the fire brought more life to the little house. 

 

John sat up next to a sleeping Abigail, gently running his fingers through her hair. Jack was still sound asleep. He gave you a little nod and you smiled back at him before going up the outlook, Arthur following close behind. You leaned against the wall, arms resting on the top of the guard when Arthur wrapped himself around you once again.

 

“Oh, my dear boy,” he yawned before resting his chin on your shoulder. “It’s getting real late.”

 

“I know,” you whispered back, feeling him lean further into you, “I just wanted a moment alone with you.”

 

“Well aren’t you sweet,” he chuckled.

 

You stood in silence for a few minutes, feeling his body pressed tight against yours in his tired state. You turned around and pressed a kiss to his lips which he gladly returned. You wrapped your arms around his neck and he kept you pressed close around your waist. 

 

“Oh shit, sorry,” you heard John say as the two of you quickly pulled apart. “I’ll head back down.”

 

“Calm down,” Arthur teased. “Stay up for a smoke.”

 

He dug a pack of cigarettes out of his bag, passing both you and John one before taking one out for himself and grabbing his box of matches. 

 

“Can’t explain how much all this means to us,” John said before inhaling the smoke, “I don’t know where we would have ended up without it.”

 

“‘Course,” you replied. “We want the best for you and your family, John. Wouldn’t have been right for us to high tail it without finding you a way out, too.”

 

“I don’t know how I can repay you for this.”

 

“Nonsense,” Arthur said back, “Don’t focus on that. We’ll figure out the big stuff later.”

 

Arthur kept an arm around you while you all finished your cigarettes. You all climbed down the ladder and got ready for bed. You kicked your boots off and got ready for bed. John crawled over near Abigail and you took the side of the bed closest to the wall. Arthur crawled in behind you, resting on his belly with his head on your shoulder and half his torso on top of you as he did when he was particularly tired. You gently rubbed his back and in mere minutes he was out and you soon followed, his little snores lulling you to sleep.

 

\--

 

Arthur was still fast asleep when you woke up, his deep breathing making it evident that he wouldn’t be ready to wake up for a good while. You took your time waking up before carefully crawling out from under his grasp and out of the bed. 

 

You walked over into the kitchen and dug out what rations you had brought with you to fix a breakfast big enough for all of you. Just before you finished, you saw little Jack sit up and rub his eyes. He looked around before getting up and walking towards you. 

 

“Mornin’ kiddo,” you smiled as you dug some plates from the old cupboards and began to dish out what food you had prepared, just for the two of you right now. 

 

“G’morning Uncle Y/N,” Jack said happily. “Did you make breakfast for all of us?”

 

“Yeah I did,” you smiled back, “But I figured we should let your folks sleep in a bit, hmm? Take a seat and eat up, though.”

 

The two of you ate quietly, Jack talking about how he was excited to be staying with you. It had been a long time since he had spent a night indoors and he was especially excited when you mentioned the possibility of him having his own bedroom. He was a real sweet kid and he might’ve had the world against him, but he had the toughest of people looking out for him. 

 

You left the dirty dishes on the counter before turning back to him, “Go grab one of your books, I wanna show you a cool place we can read.”

 

“Okay,” he exclaimed, seeming giddy.

 

You helped him open the box of his things and he grabbed a book with a dragon printed brightly on the cover. You ruffled his hair lightly before leading to the ladder. You had him climb up a few rungs before following, caging him in so he couldn’t fall back and hurt himself. You helped him pull himself up at the top. 

 

“Woah, this is awesome!”

 

“Isn’t it cool? Here, let me show you the lookout.”

 

You set the book down in the corner of the outlook and picked Jack up, helping him to look over the tall fence surrounding the deck. You looked out over the landscape, the warm sun shining through the trees. You’d never get sick of this view.

 

You put Jack back on the floor and he went back to his storybook. You sat with your back against the rail and he plopped down next to you. You opened the book to the first chapter and began reading the tale of the knight saving the princess from the dragon’s lair, acting out the characters as best as you could with your range of goofy voices to keep Jack invested.

 

You were lost in the fantasy world when you heard a warm, little chuckle, startling you and making you jump. You looked up to see Arthur laughing to himself at your reaction and you gave him a playful glare, only adding to his fit. 

 

“Good morning, Uncle Arthur! What are you laughing at.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, boy,” he said as he calmed himself, “Only came up here to find ya. Your mama’s look for you.”

 

“Okay,” Jack smiled before getting up. 

 

You followed him and Arthur guided him down the ladder. Abigail and John were awake already. John sat at the table, finishing his plate of food as Abigail started fiddling with the blankets on the floor, folding them up. 

 

“Me and John were gonna take the wagon to town and try to get the place stocked up,” Abigail said as she tucked the blankets into the corner. 

 

“Least we could do,” John added.

 

“We could use it,” you responded. “Not gonna bother with a list, just get as much as you can. ‘Preciate it, really do.”

 

“It’s no problem at all,” John nodded. 

 

Arthur and John talked for a moment as Abigail got Jack ready to go. You took the moment to dig into your bag and grab a little wad of cash. You tucked it in your pocket discreetly. 

 

“You ready head out,” John asked towards Abigail.

 

She nodded and headed towards the door. John started walking and quickly you caught up to him and tucked the cash in his hand, “Find yourself a bed. I won’t have you sleeping on the floor again.”

 

“Y/N, you’ve already done so much, I can’t take this.”

 

“Don’t start with that now. Go on.”

 

He gave you a genuine nod and you patted him on the back and let him go. He got the horses strapped up and headed out towards town. They’d be gone for a good while, giving you and Arthur some alone time. 

 

The two of you started unpacking your things, putting your clothes into the dressers and tucking miscellaneous items into the bedside drawers. He hung his hats and coats on the rack and you added the photos to the mantle. The unique house was soon becoming a home.  

 

You sat outside to take a break for a moment, sitting on the steps and Arthur took the spot next to you, “Slipped John a few bucks so they can get themselves off the floor.”

 

“You couldn’t be mean if you tried, darlin’,” he lit up a cigarette. “Was able to catch your for a good while readin’ to little Jack this mornin’.”

 

“For a man of your stature, you are unfairly light on your feet.”

 

He chuckled to himself, “Sight for sore eyes, it was. You’re a handsome one.”

 

“Ain’t got nothin’ on you, my dear,” Arthur passed you smoke, letting you take a drag. “Part of me wishes we could have a boy of our own someday.”

 

He got a bit tense, biting at his lip slightly before taking a deep breath. “Did I ever tell you about an old girl... Eliza?”

 

“Think you might’ve mentioned her name in passing,” you nodded, “Don’t know much more than the name though.”

 

“Well, it goes deeper than that. And- ah shit- I’m sorry I’m just telling you now. I don’t like talking about it much.” He started fidgeting in his seat and put the cigarette out in the grass. You took one of his hands in yours, trying to comfort him as best as you could with whatever it was that was bugging him.

 

“I can understand. You can tell me anything though, Arthur. Made that a promise since day one.”

 

He eased up a bit, raising your grip to leave a light kiss on your palm before keeping your hand to his face. You moved closer to him, letting your legs tangle between his. 

 

“I was real young,” he began, “when I met this girl Eliza. One thing lead to another and, um, we uh… We had a boy… A little boy. His name was Isaac. I wasn’t much of a father, only dropped by maybe a few times a year. I was real scared… And young, and stupid. I messed up real bad.” He buried his face in your hand, sniffling a bit and avoiding your eyes. “I came back to visit one day and I didn’t find them. I found-shit. I found a set of graves, one far too little. I messed up beyond repair, and I don’t think there’s a way I can redeem myself for what I did back then. I can’t make it better, I can’t reconcile, I can’t apologize, hell, I can’t even get them to call me out on what I did because they’re long gone. And it’s my fault. It’s my fault and I can’t make it better.”

 

“You can’t take all the blame for that. You couldn’t get out of things back then.”

 

“They were killed and robbed, Y/N, and I wasn’t there to protect them. Murdered in cold blood, all for ten bucks…”

 

You watched as he started to crack. A tear fell from his eyes when you brought him into your chest, “All for ten bucks,” he repeated into your shoulder. 

 

You held him tight, “I didn’t know.”

 

“I thought I was over it by now,” he shook his head. 

 

“You don’t need to be. You’re always this big, tough man. I know it’s hard for you. And I know you bury things. I can’t break that habit, but we can work on this. It’s okay to feel down, Arthur. You don’t need to be tough with me. I’m glad you told me.” He sat up, still facing you. “The important thing to note right now is that you know you did wrong. You know better than what you did back then. You don’t need to prove yourself.”

 

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to forgive myself.”

 

“I can understand.”

 

He collected himself, rubbing at his eyes. “It’s why I’m so harsh with John. I didn’t want him messing up like I did.”

 

“Always thought there was a reason for it, never wanted to push it, though.”

 

He took your hand again, tracing at the lines of your palms. He was quiet, seemed like he was a world away in his head. Minutes passed before he broke the silence in a gentle tone, “I like myself better when I’m with you.”

 

\--

 

John and Abigail arrived a few hours later with a wagon full of food and other essentials. You and Arthur helped bring the supplies in while Abigail started to whip something up for supper. She could barely cook worth a damn but she was trying he best and it really showed. She came from a rough background, but she was trying to be the model wife and you could only admire her for that. You helped out where you could as she chopped things up to put in a pot of stew. 

 

Arthur and John set up the bed in the main room while Jack played with the new toy they must’ve just picked up. Things were started to feel homey in the loft. John talked about some land he scoped on the property that looked good to build a house on. They had stopped at the bank in town and managed to get a loan big enough to cover the costs of a pre-cut house. It would take a lot of work between the three of you to build it, but it would work out. 

 

The sun went down and Arthur had been outside for a good while. John was sorting through papers and Abigail was getting Jack to bed so you decided to go out and check on him. He sat in the same spot as earlier, gazing out to the land before him. 

 

“What are you doing out here,” you asked as you approached him, clearly startling him slightly.

 

“I’m gonna sound silly. For the first time in probably ten years, I have a roof of my own to sleep under. First time since I was a boy that I have a real place to call home. And I’m already missing sleeping outside.”

 

You sat next to him letting out a little laugh, “Told you, cowboy. I’ll never be able to get the wild out of you.” You pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, “Now before you have to ask, yes, we can break the tent out for the night.”

 

“Know me all too well.”

 

“I got an idea. I’ll help you make a little fire pit and we can have a little circle like old times, hm?”

 

He got up with a smile and lent you a hand. You gathered rocks to make the pit and he brought firewood. You put the large stones in a circle and he started tending to the fire. You went back inside to invite the others out. Little Jack was asleep so they gladly accepted. You sat around the fire, warming up with the other couple and telling stories from your younger days. 

 

Things were slowing down for the night when you heard the sound of a horse fast approaching. Arthur stood up, on guard and ready for a possible fight until the face came into the light. 

 

“The hell is out there,” he yelled out.

 

“It’s me,” a familiar voice called back. 

 

The figure approached and came into the light of the fire and a bright smile came over Arthur’s face. 

 

“God, I didn’t expect to see you so soon, Charles.”

 

“Couldn’t help but see where you’ve ended up. You’ve done well for yourselves, really have.”

 

“Well come on, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable.”

 

Conversation continued deep into the night as Charles asked more questions about how you ended up here. It was a good way to close the night and dammit if you didn’t miss him already. It made you extraordinarily happy to know you weren’t losing him. 

 

No one brought up the rest of the gang. It was definitely the elephant in the room but it was far too late to be discussing dramatics and you all knew that. Eventually, it was time to hit the hay and you offered Charles your bed for the night. He reluctantly accepted as you and Arthur set up the tent outside. Oddly enough, this was more private than sleeping in your own home. 

 

Arthur held you tight in the tent, the space away from others allowing you to be a bit more physical with him. Neither of you was in the mood for the night, but it felt good to have his lips against yours. You rested your head on his chest and he lightly played with your hair until the two of you were out in a deep, peaceful sleep. He was right, it was still comforting to hear the sounds of nature all around you through the thin canvas of your tent. The two of you were different, undoubtedly so, but a good different it was. 


	9. Proud.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a bit tense when Charles hands over a letter from Dutch requesting to meet up and chat.

You woke up to the gentle scratches of Arthur’s beard on your collar bone. He shifted, letting his weight fall on you as he pressed slow, innocent kisses to your shoulder. You opened your eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the light. He made his way up towards your face, leaving fleeting kisses on your jaw and towards your ear. 

 

“G’morning,” he whispered, his voice thick with sleep. 

 

You let yourself nuzzle into his cheek and you could feel the tug of a smile on his face. He met your eyes with his own as you late out a lazy, “Morning.”

 

He gave a quick peck to your lips before rolling off of you, nestling himself in close and letting his head rest on your shoulder, one arm laying over your belly. 

 

“What time is it,” you asked with a yawn. 

 

“Not sure, ‘bout nine maybe? Heard some noise inside the house so I’m assuming.”

 

“Nine? Jesus, we slept in.”

 

“Feels good though,” he replied, “We never get to do this.”

 

“Can’t fight you there. You definitely needed the rest.”

 

“Don’t sell yourself short. You’ve been busting your ass for weeks. Swear I’ve caught you sleepin’ on your feet a few times now,” he teased.

 

“Alright, bear. I swear you’ve got a gift for sleeping anywhere and everywhere.”

 

“Bear? Where’d that come from?”

 

“I don’t know,” you shrugged, “Heard some foreign folks in the city say Arthur meant ‘bear.’ Think it suits you.”

 

He let out a “hmm,” and nothing more.

 

“What’s ‘hmm’ supposed to mean?”

 

He moved to support himself on one of his elbows, “Means I think you’re cute.”

 

A light blush rose to your cheeks which only made him smile wider. You moved up to give him a kiss which he gladly accepted. The two of you broke apart and sat with each other, no rush to head inside just yet. 

 

Only the bottom few buttons of his shirt were done up, leaving most of his torso exposed. You placed your hand against his chest, letting it trace along to find the raised scars from the bear attack that had brought you two closer seemingly a lifetime ago.

 

He seemed to take notice of your actions, “You know I still think about that day quite a lot.”

 

His voice snapped you out of your trance, bringing your attention back to where you sat. “What about it?”

 

“Whole lotta little parts I remember. Remember you finding me, taking charge and shooting the absolute hell outta that bear. You got me patched up and took me back to Horseshoe and looked all guilty while the women patched me up,” he reminisced.

 

“I was scared shitless when I found you. Hated seeing you like that. Biggest fear will always be losing you. You know that.”

 

“Sure as hell do after you grilled me that day,” he smirked, “I did appreciate it, though. That’s not my most fond memory of those few days, though.”

 

“Really,” you furrowed your brow, “Doesn’t seem you’d have a favorite part of a bear attack.”

 

“Not the damn bear attack, dumbass,” he laughed, “Are you telling me you don’t remember?”

 

“I really don’t think I do,” you said, sounding a bit defeated but smiling nonetheless. 

 

He shifted closer to you moving his hand to your face, “The day after, if my memory serves,” he began, running his thumb along your jaw, “You were playing with Jack or helping John with something, don’t remember exactly. Dutch pulled me aside that day and we talked near the outskirts of camp.”

 

You shifted where you sat, moving to sit criss-cross across from him. He let his legs touch yours and one of his hands find your thigh as he continued to recall the day, “Dutch told me a lot about his Annabelle. Told me about just how happy she made him, made him get some of his priorities straight. She tried to tame him but Dutch isn’t the type to settle. I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about how she got caught in the mix of the feud between Dutch and Colm. Colm killed her in cold blood to get back at Dutch for something I can’t hardly remember. I’m not doing the story any justice, he tells it better than I ever could, but that’s besides the point. Dutch sat me down and told me about the parts of him and Annabelle that he saw between you and me. He asked all kinds of things ‘bout you and me, mostly about you. I remember,” he paused to smile to himself, “I remember I was rambling off about you for a good while. I trailed off and he just laughed. I looked at him, said, ’The hell are you laughing at?’ He only laughed a little more, shakin’ his head. He looked me dead into the eyes and said, ‘Arthur, son, you really are head over heels for this boy, aren’t ya.’ You know I hate when Dutch gets smart like that, but damn was he right. You came to bed that night and I knew I had to tell you I loved you. And goddamn, look how far we’ve come since then, hm?”

 

You couldn’t help but smile as he finished his story, the memories flooding back and making your heart skip a beat just as it did when you experienced it for the first time. You placed your hand on his jaw, bringing him in for a quick kiss, “I remember now. Remember how excited I was to hear you say it. Karen had teased me for the same thing. Caught me staring at you across camp and had me ready to jump out of my skin when she called me on it.”

 

He chuckled once again, a smile staying on his face, “Seems they knew before we did.”

 

“Sure does seem that way,” you smiled. “I remember that brutally cold night in the Grizzlies, too, and remember just how panicked you were when I told you I knew that you had held me.”

 

“Well, to be fair, most men don’t take too kindly to cuddling. Woke up all frantic to see you in my arms. Didn’t know if I did it or you.”

 

“It was definitely you,” you teased with a laugh, “but shit, I sure did luck out. You burn like a furnace, could never get that warm without you. Would have been a right miserable night without you.”

 

“Glad I could help then.” 

 

The two of you continued to reminisce for a little longer before deciding to head inside. You could hear laughter and conversation from the house as you approached. Charles sat at the table with John and drank their morning coffee as Abigail and Jack flipped through the pages of a book, both of them trying their best to read the words but mostly paying attention to the pictures. 

 

“Mornin’, fellers,” Arthur greeted, nodding his head towards the group

 

“Nice of you to finally join us,” Charles responded playfully. 

 

Conversation was simple and easy, as all Sunday mornings should have. Arthur pulled you to sit on his knee as you sipped on your coffee. It was calm, not unlike the night before. John and Abigail went outside, deciding to look around the property for a while, leaving you and Arthur with Charles.

 

The room went quiet after a good while and you meddled around with your fingers, trying to work up the courage to ask the question the occupied your mind. With a deep breath and tense muscles, you looked up to Charles. “I’m sorry to ask, but…” you trailed off, “How’s Dutch?”

 

Charles took a moment, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table. He wiped his chin with his hand and let out a sigh. “If I am being completely honest with you, that’s part of the reason I’m here. Dutch is, well, heightened, to say the least. But, when he found out where I was going, he gave me this,” he said before digging into his pocket and taking out a note.

 

You and Arthur exchanged glances and you took the chair next to him before Charles handed over the letter, nodding for you to open it. You looked back at Arthur once again, “You go on ahead.”

 

“You sure,” you asked back.

 

“I’m sure,” he assured, patting you on the thigh to add emphasis. 

 

With tentative hands, you opened the letter, scanning it over before actually reading it. His handwriting was clean, polished. It looked like a work of art in itself. 

 

_ To the Morgans,  _

 

_ It might not be the best time for me to scatch down my thoughts at this moment as I can’t seem to really get them straight. However, I do know that I wish to talk to the two of you privately. Hosea told me more about the situation, and bless his heart for that, but I need the two of you to tell me face-to-face, man-to-man, and I think you owe me that at the very least. I’ll be around Van Horn for a few days if you would care to meet me there. Just the three of us, no need to bring John, I’m sure you know his reasons better than he does.  _

 

_ Arthur _ _ \- son, know I love you. I don’t want a fight, I just want you to be honest and  _ _ talk _ _ to me _

 

_ Y/N _ _ \-  know I care for you like my own. I trust you, I do.  _

 

_ I won’t beg, but please, just do this for me.  _

 

_ -Dutch _

 

You handed the note over to Arthur as you took the time to process, keeping your lip between your teeth as you contemplated his words. Dutch wasn’t a bad man, only troubled, and this lifestyle was getting to him. Charles got up from the table and walked outside toward where John stood, a cigarette between his lips. 

 

Arthur nodded his head and folded the letter back the way it was and resting it on the table. You took one of his hands and pressed it to your face, closing your eyes and really thinking about what you just read. 

 

You looked up at him, peering over the hand you placed on your face and mumbled, “Whatcha wanna do?”

 

He came closer to you, moving his hand just slightly to caress your cheek and letting his free hand rest on your thigh. He took a moment before responding, “I don’t know really. I mean, I don’t think it’ll hurt any, but I don’t know if it’ll do us any good neither.”

 

“He did say it was just gonna be the three of us, so maybe things will be alright. Seems like he just wants to talk, maybe ask why we left. I don’t see the harm. Maybe it won’t be productive, but there’s nothing to lose.”

 

He nodded his head and you pressed a light kiss to his palm. 

 

“You wanna head out soon then,” he asked.

 

“Whenever you’re ready, bear.”

 

“Really trying to make that stick, are ya, darlin’?”

 

“I’m a man on a mission. I will make it last if it’s the last thing I do,” you said back with a smile. 

 

He pulled you up for a good kiss as the two of you took to your feet. You looked up at him, finding a soft look in his eyes. “What was that for?”

 

“Nothin’,” he smiled to himself, earnest and sweet. “I love you.”

 

_ Always seems to know when I need to hear it, _ you thought to yourself. You pressed another kiss to his lips, letting this one linger a bit longer than the previous. “Love you more.”

 

“Mm, I don’t know about that one.”

 

You and Arthur dug in to find clean clothes and eat a little something before getting on with your day. You tugged on your boots and fastened your belt before heading back outside towards the hitching post, Arthur following close behind. To your surprise, you found Charles saddling up.

 

“Where you goin’,” Arthur asked.

 

“Going back to camp. They need me there,” he replied simply.

 

“Don’t be a stranger,” you said back.

 

“You’re always welcome to come by here,” Arthur added.

 

“Don’t you worry about me. It won’t be long before you see me again, I’m sure of it.”

 

You gave your final goodbyes before Charles rode away. You mounted your horses before riding towards where John and Abigail sat on a hill, Jack digging in the mud not too far away. You told them where you were going and started on your route to Van Horn. The ride was fairly quiet, you and Arthur just talking about the environment around you. It wasn’t too long of a ride, but it was enough to make it annoyingly far away. Too short to make a day of the trip, but too long to get much done outside of it. 

 

The smell of the water hit you just before the lighthouse came into view. You hitched your horses outside of the post office and walked the streets. Dutch wasn’t hard to find, his voice carried through the thin walls of the saloon. Arthur pushed through the doors and instantly, Dutch’s eyes found the two of you from his place in front of the bar. He gave you both a nod before taking a table in the corner, at least slightly away from the others that crowded the saloon. You paid for a few beers before following Dutch and taking a seat at the worn, wooden table. 

 

You and Arthur sat with your backs to the wall, Dutch across from you with an odd look in his eyes that read as somewhat pained. It took time for him to finally break the silence. 

 

“Mr. Morgan,” he nodded towards Arthur. “Mr - uh… Morgan. Mr. Morgan,” he said towards you.

 

“Dutch,” Arthur replied back. 

 

The tension was palpable, the air feeling thick as you tried to look anywhere but Dutch’s face. Arthur, on the other hand, stood strong, not willing to start the conversation. He held his ground, making it clear that as Dutch was the one that wanted to have the conversation, he would start it. 

 

Dutch soon broke, “I’m not going to play coy. I just want an explanation, more than the one you gave me.”

 

You went to speak but Arthur took the lead, knowing Dutch would hear his voice more than yours. “It’s nothing you did, Dutch. It’s what this life entails. I don’t like running, and I’ve been doing it since I was a teenager. It was just time for me,  _ for us _ , to leave.”

 

“We were gonna head west, Arthur. We were gonna set up a homestead for the whole gang, why couldn’t you follow me through with that.”

 

“We’ve been all over and things haven’t changed,” he deadpanned, “I wanted to, I really did, but I can’t justify what we was doing.”

 

“I gave you everything I had, son,” he replied, the pain coming through his voice. 

 

“This isn’t about you,” Arthur said firmly, “This isn’t about what you did or didn’t do. You’ve had me for the better part of my life. I’ll always be grateful for what you’ve done, but now, with a price on my head in almost every state from California to New York, I’m done running.”

 

“So you settle for some shithole in Ambarino?”

 

“I didn’t settle for shit,” he snapped, “I found a home. I hope you can find peace somewhere, find a place where you can live the life you’ve envisioned since I was a boy, but I’m done looking. I’ve got everything I need and I’m not going to risk that for anything.”

 

Dutch sat back in his chair, looking a bit defeated. He took a long sip of his beer and Arthur seemed to grow more solemn. 

 

“Dutch,” Arthur started, Dutch barely looking up at him. “The only way I can think to put it is this…”

 

Dutch sat up, seeming a bit more interested and nodded for Arthur to continue. 

 

Arthur looked him in the eyes, a tender look on his face like he was already regretting what hadn’t even left his mouth yet. He took his time before finally speaking and laying it out flat.

 

“I almost lost my Annabelle.”

 

Dutch’s eyes closed tight and fists clenched as inhaled sharply. Your own stomach dropped at the line, knowing Arthur was pushing the envelope a bit, but Dutch needed things spoken outright, he didn’t like taking gentle hints. You were but a fly on the wall in this conversation, you knew not to insert yourself, but Arthur kept one of his lefts nudged against yours, reminding you he was still there.

 

Before Dutch could combat the statement, Arthur cut him off. “Colm’s boys took him to prove a point in a fight that he had  _ absolutely _ nothing to do with. If I haven’t heard you say a thousand times, ‘What I wouldn’t give to go back and change things.’ I had a close call, a real close call. I’m not losing him, definitely not to goddamn Colm O’Driscoll, and I know damn well you’d do the same thing if you were in my position. Don’t act like there’s no reason behind my actions, Dutch, you know I’d never turn my back on you, but this, this life that we’ve been leading, it ain’t worth it to me no more.”

 

Dutch nodded his head, letting the words set it, yet for the first time in all the time you’ve known him, Dutch took a long moment to respond. 

 

“For outspoken as you are, you do have a real way with words,” he replied. “As hard of a time I’ll have with it, I respect your decision.” Your eyes went wide at the response, but he only continued on. “You do right, live in the way I taught you. Don’t be a stranger, you always know how to find me. And Arthur, would you mind if me and Y/N had a moment.”

 

Arthur shot you a look and you nodded, making sure he knew you were alright with it. “Sure,” Arthur said as he got up from the table, moving to go watch the blackjack game in the back of the saloon. You sat up at the table and met Dutch’s gaze, feeling slightly intimidated but knowing there couldn’t be much to worry about. 

 

“Don’t look so scared,” Dutch teased lightly, “I don’t bite… much.”

 

It got a chuckle out of you and you loosened up a bit, “Sure. How you keepin’?”

 

“Just about as well as I can given the circumstances. I’m not mad at either of you, only a little hurt you couldn’t tell me to my face in the first place, but I can understand why you felt that way. Main reason I wanted to talk to you personally is because Hosea had quite a lot to say about you. He was the one that talked me down after I found out you were gone. He only sang your praises and reminded me this was a mutual decision you and Arthur came to.”

 

“I’m sorry for not coming to you,” you replied steadily. “Wasn’t the best way for us to go about it.”

 

“Don’t talk down about yourself so soon. Hosea told me about the conversation you had the day you left. I’m proud of the two of you, I truly am. Arthur doesn’t much like it when I talk to him about these types of things, so I’m hoping you’ll pass that message to him, but back to the main reason I wanted to speak. You’re good for my boy. You very well might be the best goddamn thing that’s ever happened to him and I hope you don’t take that lightly. Hell, I see parts of you in each other. Seems the two of you are even starting to talk in the same way, developing each other’s ticks. I had a love like yours once, and if you lose it,  you never get it back. 

 

You know, I’ve never worried too much about John. I’ve wanted him to leave for a while, not right to keep Jack in that situation, but Arthur, I thought he’d stay around ‘til the end. You came around and the thought did enter my mind, I knew it was a possibility that he might want to, but I always brushed it off. Guess I didn’t know what to do when the day actually came to be.”

 

“We didn’t tell anybody we were going until it was far too late to change our plan. You’ve got a right to be shocked, it wasn’t something anybody could have predicted,” you replied.

 

“As it always should be. Stay low, don’t let people get on your tail. If I could have taught you anything, it’s that,” he said lightly, a small smile on his face. “I know exactly why you did what you did, and Arthur wasn’t wrong in his statement. I’d do anything to change the past, and you’re doing what I couldn’t bring myself to. I’m damn proud of the both of you. So damn proud. And I won't lie, when Hosea told me you were going by Morgan, it made me real happy.”

 

“Feels good to say it’s my name,” you smiled back. “Makes things feel more official, even if we couldn’t get things done officially.”

 

“Now, I don’t want to impose, and of course it’s just an idea, you’re welcome to shoot it down, but what if we did something for the two of you. Just a get-together, considering we never properly celebrated the two of you gettin’ hitched.”

 

A smile tugged your lips, “You’d do that for us?”

 

“Absolutely,” he smiled back, “Especially after gettin’ all this out, it’s the least we could do.”

 

“Ah shit,” you laughed, “I’d be honored.”

 

“That’s settled then. Arthur, come over here!”

 

“What is it,” he said as he walked over.

 

“Dear boy, we’ll be throwing the two of you a proper wedding reception,” Dutch said with pride. 

 

“Really,” Arthur asked, a big smile on his face. 

 

“Absolutely. We’ll call for next Saturday. I’ll get the ladies to set the party up. We’ll have a lovely time.”

 

Conversation turned more casual, all tension having left as the air was cleared. You and Arthur headed home in the late afternoon, getting back before the sun set. John greeted the two of you happily. 

 

“We’re getting the stuff to start building the house tomorrow,” he said, “Getting a precut ranch to build in that field over yonder.”

 

“Damn, Marston,” Arthur praised. “Things are really coming together, aren’t they.”

 

The rest of the night went slow as you drank around the fire. Abigail turned in early with Jack and you discussed your time with Dutch with the men. It was about 10 when the three of you decided to call it, all of you being able to sleep on a bed for the first time in forever. Today was a good day, undeniably so, but it was only the beginning. 


	10. Celebrate.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Arthur enjoy your night at your wedding reception.

It had been about a week since your meeting with Dutch in Van Horn. You two and the Marstons were just getting ready to leave for the recently planned reception. It had been a long, tiring few days as you started the process of putting up the new house. It was coming along well, but it was a hard, exhausting process, and getting together for one last proper party with the gang was exactly what you needed. You never realized the toll of the Irish goodbye, but boy did it hit you hard. Your new home was all you could ever ask for, but part of you would always miss life with the gang. 

 

Arthur was taking well to his new life, the presence of John definitely helping him adjust. You’d been with the camp for less than a year and you already missed it like hell, you couldn’t imagine what he was going through. 

 

Arthur was pushing his hair back and putting on his grey, worn flat cap. You approached him, straightening out his white shirt collar brushing the light bit of dirt from his shoulders. He gave you a quick kiss on the forehead, “You about ready?”

 

“Whenever you are,” you smiled back.

 

He brushed your hair back behind your ear before moving towards the door, letting John and Abigail finish getting ready with a bit of privacy. He dug a pack of smokes from his pocket and lit one up, taking a drag before passing it to you to do the same. You went to stand next to him but he pulled you over, letting you lean back against him with one of his arms wrapped securely around your chest. You let the smoke leave your lips and passed the cigarette back to him. You let your head fall back, a light hum coming from your mouth. He pressed another kiss to your head before nuzzling closer into you. He was being extra touchy today, barely being able to keep his hands off of you for a full five minutes. 

 

You parted when the Marstons finally came through the door, all of them better dressed than usual, Abigail even in a new dress. You all saddled up, Jack riding on the front of the horse that had become Abigail’s. It was a long ride through New Hanover to get back to Horseshoe, but it sure was a pretty one. Arthur and John told stories of their younger days, reminiscing and teasing each other for the dumb things they did as they were growing up. You sat back, observing the conversation more than really participating, but enjoying it nonetheless. 

 

You finally got to the camp after a good while of riding. You passed through the trees and the odd archway and soon found yourself faced with Lenny and Karen standing guard. “Who’s out there,” Lenny shouted before you came into view. 

 

You didn’t have to say a word when he saw you, a smile coming onto your face before he continued, “Well god damn, look who’s turned up.”

 

You all took your time hitching your horses and before you knew it, you were being crowded by the people you had only left less than two weeks ago. Most all of them greeted you with smiles, a good half of them already tipsy as the sun began to lower. 

 

Dutch came over, stretching his arms in a grand gesture, “The guests of honor have finally arrived!” Dutch came in close, giving you a brief, friendly hug, “Welcome back, son.”

 

You began to mingle, you and Arthur separating for only a short while as you caught up with each of the gang members. Everyone seemed happy, even Bill, which was a nice change of pace from the usual gloom that seemed to hang over camp after the Blackwater incident. Everything seemed lighter, even the air felt fresher. 

 

Dutch brought out the good stuff tonight, whiskey, gin, brandy, beer, and some hooch that Micah had ripped from a pair of two-bit moonshiners out in the swamps. Drinks were poured, Pearson the makeshift bartender for the night, and soon, Dutch was calling for everyone to gather around the center of camp. Arthur stood at your side, his arm around your waist as Dutch began his speech. 

 

“Now, ladies and gentlemen, as we gather here for this lovely celebration, let us not forget who we are celebrating. Let us honor the partnership of the lovely gentlemen in front of me, Arthur and Y/N Morgan!”

 

A smile came over your face and Arthur brought you in for another kiss on the head. Members of the gang cheered, giving you both pats on the back and calling out variations of “Congratulations.” Dutch let the gang settle down before returning to his speech. 

 

“Arthur, a man who I have known since he was only  _ fourteen _ years old, who I watched grow up and hope to watch grow old. Let us celebrate him finding someone who not only tolerates his brooding, closed-off nature, but loves him for it,” Dutch teased with a smile, laughs erupting from the crowd. “Our own old, grumpy Arthur Morgan managed to get himself a husband. Y/N, you are a saint if I’ve ever seen one. God bless you both. Cheers!”

 

“Cheers,” the rest of them shouted back in not-quite unison, all of them going around to clink glasses. 

 

“And just one more thing,” Arthur called out, the rest of the gang going quiet.

 

You furrowed your brow and he gave you a quick smile before digging into his satchel. After a moment, he pulled out a small box and you could already feel your eyes wanting to water at the sight. 

 

“Always said you wanted to get us proper rings,” he smiled as he opened the small box, revealing two platinum bands. 

 

The grin refused to leave your face as he removed them from the box, handing you the one meant for him. The eyes of the gang were all on you, but it felt as if you were standing alone with him. You found yourself lost in his blue-green eyes and unable to bring yourself back down. 

 

He took your left hand and slid the ring onto your finger and you did the same for him, holding onto his hand tight before giving him a short but sweet kiss and soon cheers surrounded you once again.

 

Dutch clapped, a genuine smile on his face, “I knew I raised a romantic.”

 

People then disbanded, moving about and mingling around the camp. After making some more light-hearted small talk, you and Arthur landed yourselves at the poker table, playing against Susan, Javier, and Uncle. All of you played with a little higher stakes than usual, placing a $3 buy-in instead of the usual buck. “Special occasion,” Miss Grimshaw would remind as she dug out the extra bills. 

 

You all played your heart out but it seemed Javier’s luck was in. It was all in good spirits, little jabs to keep each other in line; it was just like the old days you would spend in camp. You lost a bit of money but it was okay, it was the first real stress-free night in a long while. 

 

After the poker game grew tired, you all found yourselves singing drunken tunes campfire, Javier providing the music. You sat between Arthur’s legs, letting your head rest on his knee as Hosea would tell stories of the old days between songs. Your heart warmed as he told the story of Arthur bringing back a fish he claimed to catch only finding he bought it from the market, along with other tales to make Arthur groan and blush.

 

The Marstons left early, knowing they needed to get back that night as John wasn’t in the mood to split a single bedroll between three people and Jack was ready to turn in anyway. You and Arthur stayed, knowing you were both packed to set up camp on the ground.

 

The night was still young when Arthur quietly called for you to follow him past the treeline. He took your hand and brought you to the spot where you had spent many a night. You tried your best to stay subtle, but people would likely be suspicious if they noticed the two of you missing. Nevertheless, Arthur led you back, not letting his hand leave yours. 

 

You could barely register what was happening when Arthur was shoving you against a tree, his lips finding yours in a rough, deep kiss. You grabbed at his shirt and knocked his hat off, letting a hand tangle in his hair.

 

“Knew you extra handsy today,” you whispered as you pulled apart. 

 

“Not my fault you look so damn good that outfit,” he retorted before bringing his lips back to yours. 

 

With unsteady hands, you untucked his shirts and undid the remaining buttons. He shrugged it off along with his suspenders, letting his shirt fall to the soft floor of the woods. He undid the few buttons on your casual shirt before sliding off your suspenders and pulling the shirt over your head, your lips only parting for a brief moment. 

 

He moved one of his legs to part yours, his hardening prick now pressed tight against your thigh. He began to grind against you, the friction making you gasp. He moved from your mouth, leaving a trail of wet kisses along your jaw and down to your throat. He began to get lower and abruptly dropped to his knees. 

 

“Been waiting to do this all day,” he whispered huskily as he hastily undid the fastens of your jeans. 

 

You moved to kick off your boots and he assisted you, tossing them over with the rest of the discarded garments. He tugged your pants down to your ankles and you kicked them off as well. Soon, he began to mouth at your upper thighs, pressing more wet, sloppy kisses and taking time to leave a mark just below where your pants stopped covering. He got closer to where you needed him but he still made you wait. 

 

“Arthur,” you breathed, “Please.”

 

“That’s my pretty boy,” he praised before moving to kiss at your aching cock. He took his time kissing up the side before finally taking the head into his mouth, circling it with his tongue before taking you a little deeper and hollowing his cheeks. You let your hand grip into his hair once again as your knees grew weak under his touch. Your head fell back against the tree and you bit your forearm to stifle the sounds that wanted to leave your mouth. He continued, his technique almost flawless as he took in as much of you as he could, bobbing his head and effectively fucking his own mouth with your prick. 

 

Things ended all too soon as he pulled off of you, quickly standing back up and bringing his mouth back to yours. He pulled away and brought his fingers to your mouth, letting you wet them with your saliva as you undid the buttons on his trousers. He shimmied, letting them fall just below his knees. He hiked up one of your legs, him supporting most of your weight as he quickly and efficiently prepped you, sticking in one finger at a time and working you open like he had so many nights before. 

 

You nodded your head, “I’m ready.”

 

“You sure,” he asked back, really wanting to make sure you were ready. 

 

“Please just take me, Arthur,” you panted. 

 

He spat in his hand to lube himself before lining himself up. He slowly inched his way inside of you, the familiar stretch leaving you breathless as he brought himself to be sheathed fully. You wrapped your arms tighter around him and bit at his shoulder to keep quiet. 

 

“Move,” you directed, and it was all he needed.

 

Quickly he thrusted in and out of you, brushing over your most sensitive spot with ease as he grew to know the exact angles to hit. His thrusts were fast and hard, leaving you both panting and red in the face. Low groans and growls left his mouth as he worked the two of you closer to finishing. 

 

“Y/N,” he purred, “I’ ain’t gonna last much longer.”

 

“Me neither,” you whispered back. 

 

You kissed him hard, tongues finding each other and the textures of the other. The taste of bourbon was heavy on both of you, but the addicting extra flavor that could only be described as “Arthur,” flooded your senses, keeping you unable to stop yourself from going back for more. 

 

You reached between your sweat-slicked bodies and stroked yourself, knowing both of you would be spent in only a matter of time. His thrusts became more erratic as you squeezed onto him, slews of curses and praises leaving his mouth as you both grew more desperate for release. 

 

“Wanna feel you cum for me,” he said through heavy breaths, “Need to feel you cum around me.”

 

Another groan left your mouth as you worked yourself off, your own hand moving in time with his thrusts as you lost yourself and were thrown over the edge. Your spend came out in spurts, leaving streaks on both of your stomachs. He gripped you tight, working you through it hard and fast, and soon the familiar, welcomed feeling of him finishing inside of you clouded your senses. 

 

You both took a moment, letting you bury your head in the crook of his neck as you caught your breath. He carefully let your leg fall back to its place and slowly pulled out of you, his spunk dripping out along with it. He gave you a kiss before grabbing a rag from the pocket of his pants and began to clean the two of you off, wiping you with care and making sure he got everything. 

 

He stood back up and placed a few tender kisses to your neck and jaw, “I will never get enough of you.”

 

“You’ll always have me,” you said before pressing a quick kiss to his lips. 

 

You pulled apart but he pouted at you, “One more?”

 

You smiled and brought yourself back to him, this one lingering longer than the last.  He cupped your jaw and held you close, this kiss far more intimate than those previous. 

 

“I love you, bear,” you whispered as you parted.

 

“I love you more.”

 

You got dressed quickly and collected yourself, getting your hair back to looking innocent before returning back to camp. Things were settling down a bit but many still lingered, talking around the campfire and singing old songs. 

 

You and Arthur sat close around the fire with Sean, Karen, and Javier.

 

“Now where did the two of you disappear to,” Karen teased. 

 

“Uh, just had to take care of some… private matters,” you responded, a clear look of guilt on your face. 

 

“Ah so that’s what they’re calling it these days,” Sean said with a laugh. 

 

“Shut up,” Arthur grumbled with feigned anger in his voice. 

 

“It’s none of our business. I’d rather hear you go off about your Da than know what they do behind closed doors,” Javier said back. 

 

“Oh sure, if you’d like to hear about me Da-” Sean got cut off quickly.

 

“Not again,” you, Arthur, and Karen all grumbled. 

 

“You’re all a boring bunch of drunks,” Sean replied. 

 

Conversation continued and the night faded. You and Arthur slept on some bedrolls as his cot and tent were given to Hosea since the move. It was a better night than you could have ever asked for.

 

\--

 

Morning came all too early and you were hit with a rough hangover but Arthur helped you nurse it, getting you some food and water to help tame the pain. You stayed for a little while but soon the bittersweet goodbyes had to come. This time, leaving was much easier, especially knowing you were still on good terms with the gang. You gave hugs and a mailing address, making sure they all knew they were welcome to visit when they were in the area. You received little parting gifts from many members, Pearson sending you out with a few of his favorite recipes and Charles with some instructions on how to make some special types of arrows. 

 

The time came for you to say goodbye to Hosea and Dutch once again and it hit hard. You grew to love and admire both men. You made sure to remind them over and over that they could always stop by for a meal or to get some rest. After a few tight hugs and a tear or two shed, you and Arthur mounted up and started the ride back home. 

 

You were still in the hills of New Hanover when Arthur started to speak up, “You know what that made me realize?”

 

Your heart dropped, his statement somewhat bold, “What,” you asked, your voice clearly a bit nervous. 

 

“Made me realize,” he paused, “As much as I love them, I ain’t gonna miss that life. Not one bit.” 

 

“Oh, Arthur,” you cooed, a smile replacing your look of confusion. 

 

“I won’t,” he repeated, “Made me realize just how happy I am to know I’m going to spend the rest of my days in a quiet, little cabin with the only person in this world that I like to be in close quarters with for more than a few days.”

 

“Always mean it when I say it, you’re the love of my life, my dear, no doubt about that,” you said back earnestly. “There will never be a day when I’m not yours.” 

 

“Promise,” he whispered, riding in close and sticking his hand out within reach, pinky standing at attention. 

 

Your heart warmed at the gesture and you returned the motion, wrapping your pinky tight around his, “Promise.”


	11. A Wild Story.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur surprises you with a life-changing proposal

It had been a few months since the reception back at Horseshoe, time really felt like it was flying by. Just a few weeks prior, John’s new home was finished and you and Arthur finally got some proper alone time. You still saw the Marstons most every day, but complete privacy was a newfound luxury you couldn’t give up. Arthur seemed to really be fully content for the first time since you’d known him. He was taking better care of himself, his joints ached less and the bags under his eyes finally faded. He was finally starting to look his age and not a full decade older. 

Arthur had taken up some new hobbies. He found a strange feller wandering around Saint Denis by the name of Charles that had given him some new art supplies in return for a few favors. It was nothing particularly fancy, but it was enough to get Arthur giddy and eager to explore. On the new, large paper, he took his time and drew the view from the outlook, polishing his sketches and making something he was truly proud of. You had the picture framed and mounted it above your table. Arthur would blush every time he caught you staring at it, you sang his praises and he’d get all timid. 

You and Arthur were washing dishes when he struck up a bit of conversation, “Can I ask you something kind of important?”

“Shoot,” you replied as you dried the glass in your hand.

“I’ve been thinkin’... and I know and I know we’ve talked about it a bit…”

“Mmhm,” you hummed back, urging him slightly to continue.

“Well, you know I’ve been helping that nun with some things around Saint Denis, yeah?”

“Yeah, I remember. She’s real kind.”

“That she is. Well, the church down there, they uh, they run an orphanage.”

Your heart skipped a beat and your eyes went wide, you stopped what you were doing to face him. 

He continued on, “Well, she’s gotten to know me fairly well. She’s been telling me about,” he paused, smiling to himself with a little half laugh, “She’s been telling me about a little girl. Her name’s Ellie, only a few months old. Real cute thing, saw a nurse holdin’ her in the window once. Little girl needs a home.”

“Arthur,” you grinned, getting slightly choked up, “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“I think so,” he returned your look, his eyes catching the light of early afternoon. 

“Holy shit,” you shouted back before wrapping your arms around him tight and somehow he managed to hug you even tighter 

You pulled apart after a little while, you wiping your eyes on your shirt sleeve. “So is that a yes,” he asked.

“Goddammit, of course, it’s a yes,” you grinned again. You shook your head in disbelief, “I’m gonna be a dad.”

“And a great one,” he added, pulling you towards him once again and pressing a kiss to your forehead. 

“You’re gonna be amazing, bear,” you whispered, rubbing circles into his back, “Absolutely amazing.”

The two of you parted and fixed yourself a quick lunch, taking a seat at the table and began talking logistics. As you two finished your meal, you agreed it was best if you took Abigail along to the shops to help get the essentials. You made the walk over to the Marston house and knocked on the door, Abigail greeted you, wiping her hands on her apron and ushering you in with a smile. 

“What are you boys up to,” she asked as she poured coffee. 

“Got some news,” Arthur began, “Going to need your help.”

“I don’t know if I’m good for too much, but go on, what can I do?”

“Well, me and Y/N… We’re adopting a little baby girl. We need your help figuring out what to do and what to get, make the little one feel at home.”

Abigail almost spat out her coffee, her eyes going wide and a grin tugging at her lips, “You’re having a baby,” she shouted with a sense of disbelief. “John, get the hell in here!”

John came stumbling out of his bedroom, holstering his gun and stuffing the oiled rag into his pocket, “What is it? Oh, hi, Y/N, Arthur.” 

“They’re having a baby, John,” Abigail announced with enthusiasm. 

“That’s amazing,” John beamed, walking over to sit down with Abigail on the couch. He paused, furrowing his brow, “Wh- how did you two, get uh…”

“We’re adopting, dumbass,” Arthur teased.

“Ohh,” John drawled, “Well, god damn, brother,” He leaned over, giving both you and Arthur quick hugs. “Congratulations.” 

“Thank you so much, John,” you replied as you sat back down. 

“That’s amazing, just- wow. I’m real happy for the two of you, real happy,” John said back.

“Means a lot, Johnny,” Arthur responded. 

“They’re wantin’ me to go to town with them, help pick out some things for the baby,” Abigail told John. 

“Well, that’s fine by me. I’ll keep an eye on the boy,” he returned. “Why don’t you catch a train to where you need to be. It’s already past noon.”

“I’ll get ready,” Abigail said before scurrying off to put better clothes on. You and Arthur finished your coffee in the time it took for her to be done, and soon the three of you were out the door. 

You made the ride to Annesburg and bought train tickets to Saint Denis. You and Abigail sat next to one another, letting Arthur doze off in the seat adjacent to you. She was absolutely giddy, wouldn’t stop talking about how excited she was to meet the little one and help out where she could. Jack was growing up fast and it didn’t seem like John would be willing to add another to their little family, but the lady did dream. 

“What did you say the girl’s name was,” she asked.

“Ellie,” you replied with a smile, “Don’t know much else about her. I’m just as excited to meet her as you are.”

“Well here. I’ve got an idea. I’ll help you pick out what you need, clothes, diapers, crib, formula, everything you need to make her feel at home. I’ll take it back with me, have John build the crib and I’ll make it up all proper. You and Arthur go and pick up the little one and we’ll have the place ready for you tomorrow. That way there’s not too much back and forth and we give little Ellie the best introduction we can.”

Your heart warmed as she explained her plan, “That’d be absolutely amazing, Abigail. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Nonsense,” she teased, “You’ve given my family a fighting chance. This is the least we could do.”

You wrapped an arm around her and gave a tight squeeze, “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

The train soon came to a halt and you shook Arthur’s shoulder to wake him up. You moved single file off of the train and followed Abigail into the shops, letting her grab all the essentials, from formula and bottles to bedding and outfits. It added up fairly quickly, but better to have what you need now than need to run out and buy it later. She had quite the skip in her step as you spent hours walking around town.

The sun was about to set by the time she was satisfied with your haul. You all carried the boxes and bags towards the post office and paid for her to get a stage back home. You loaded up the newly bought items and soon she was on her way.

You and Arthur walked to the bar, picking up your usual routine of discreetly walking into the hotel room one by one. The two of you kicked off your boots, hung your hats, and took off your belts. The runaround caught up to you, both of you absolutely worn out. 

“Well I sure am glad you’ve been pulling extra jobs,” he said as he sat down on the bed, letting you nestle into his side. 

You let out a little laugh, “Damn straight. Guess no one said havin’ a baby was cheap.”

“Worth every penny I’m sure,” he smiled. 

You sat and rested for a few minutes, letting yourself relax against him. You were about ready to sleep but you just couldn’t. Something about Arthur seemed off and you couldn’t pinpoint why. 

“What’s going on in that head of yours,” you said, bringing Arthur from his thoughts.  
“What? Oh… It’s nothing,” he said somberly.

“Be honest with me. What’s wrong?”

“Oh you know,” he said nervously, “I’m just a bit anxious is all. Just wanna do right by this little girl.”

“C’mere,” you said, pulling him to lay half on top of you, his head buried in your neck and letting himself rest along your torso. “You’re gonna be amazing, I know that without a doubt. We’re gonna make this work. That little girl is gonna have a pair of kickass daddies, we’ll make sure of that.”

He brought himself up to place a short, sweet kiss on your lips, “I love you.”

“Love you too. And, with that, what you think you wanna be called? I don’t know about you, but I think ‘papa’ suits you pretty well.”

“I don’t mind that one bit. I’ll gladly take that. And hell, if she yells ‘daddy’ we’ll both come running.”

“We’re gonna be alright, bear,” you whispered, nuzzling into his hair, “We’re gonna be alright.”

The two of you fell asleep not long after, both of you getting the much-needed rest for the day that was about to come. You held him through the night, being glad to get this moment of intimacy before adding another face to the picture. 

\--

You woke up to the smell of smoke and sounds of Arthur doodling in his journal. He sat with his feet propped up on the couch, cigarette dangling from his mouth. He turned to face you and tucked his journal into his satchel when he noticed you starting to sit up. You stretched and cracked your knuckles before swinging your legs over the edge of the bed. 

You both sat with your hands folded, leaning over and letting your eyes meet. He gave you a tender look, a slight smile on his face. The position didn’t last long as soon he was kneeling between your legs, looking up at you and stroking along your sides. You put your hands on his face, supporting his chin. You took the moment to just be quiet, neither of you saying a word, just being there with each other in that very moment. 

After a few minutes, he broke the calm silence, “You ready for today?”

“Don’t know that I’ll ever be ready,” you chuckled, “But I think it’s gonna go alright.”

A mix of anxiety and excitement washed through you as you put on fresh clothes. You and Arthur made sure each other looked put together, he trimmed his beard and you cleaned up your face. 

You and Arthur left the hotel room and gave the keys back to the bartender. It was still fairly early in the morning but the streets of Saint Denis were already bustling. Arthur led the way, him having spent a bit more time in the city and knowing his way around better than you did. Soon you were approaching the massive cathedral, the familiar nun conversing with Father Derkins just outside the doors. 

“Arthur,” she called out as she noticed you two approaching, “Glad to see you again, sir.”

“Always nice seeing you, sister,” Arthur smiled, giving her a friendly hug. 

“This must be Y/N,” she said as she approached you, giving you a quick hug as well. 

You furrowed your brow, happy for the positive reaction, but still confused by it nonetheless. Arthur took notice, mouthing, she knows, with a nod.

“Come on then, follow me,” the nun said as she opened the grand doors.

You and Arthur followed through the entryway and past the gallery, walking through the halls and soon finding the entryway to the designated orphanage. You continued on, noticing the many older children in the school rooms and the younger ones running around. Soon you were lead into the room for the smallest of them, the bland room lined with cribs and high chairs. Many infants were fast asleep, but a young nun stood in the corner, a child cradled in her arms with a bottle in the other hand. 

“That must be little Ellie,” the nun smiled as you quietly walked to the side of the room. 

The younger nun greeted you with a smile and took the bottle from the child’s mouth. Soon you were faced with the little girl, eye’s close in color to Arthur’s own and hair close to yours. The woman gave you a look and soon the girl was being passed to you. 

Your heart swelled as you made eyes with her for the first time. A few teeth were coming in, hair grown only slightly. Arthur wrapped an arm around your waist, standing in close and placing one of his hands to support her back.

“Well hello Ellie,” Arthur whispered, his voice low but warm. 

She moved her arms and began gnawing on her fingers. Having only met her for a few moments, she still managed to win your heart. Arthur brushed over her hair and she let out a yawn.

“She’s amazing,” you whispered.

“Little Ellie,” the nun cut in. “She was left on our porch step just a bit over a month ago, all bundled in a basket and a note over her chest. Her mother died giving birth and her father couldn’t handle raising her on her own. She’s a sweet thing, never cries without a reason.”

“Damn,” Arthur said somberly, “Poor thing.”

“Not to focus on that, though. She’s got you two now and a better chance than her old parents could have given her.”

“There anything we need to sign,” you asked.

“Just a few papers to get guardianship. We’ll give you her birth certificate and all of that, and you’ll be on your way.”

The younger nun took the child back to finish feeding her and you followed the older towards the office. You and Arthur went through, signing all the forms and promising to give her the best home you could.

She gave you an envelope which Arthur tucked away before digging into her drawer. She pulled out a rosary, strung together with wooden beads and a carved crucifix. She placed it in your hands, wrapping it tightly, “God bless you both.”

The rest of the process was fairly quick. You were given a bag full of what few belongings she had and sent on your way. You were given a few odd looks as Arthur carried her, holding her tight to his chest, but it couldn’t have mattered any less in that moment. Both of you were eager to get home and continue on with the new chapter that had just begun. 

You walked to the post office and paid a stagecoach to get you home. It was a long ride, but Ellie slept through most of it, still tired after her morning bottle. You both got lost in the sight of her, sitting in close and watching every single move she made. 

You were just getting into Ambarino when her bright blue eyes fluttered open, she rubbed them with her little fists before stuffing her fingers in her mouth once again. 

“Well look at that,” Arthur whispered, “She must be teethin’.”

You tickled under her chin and she let out a giggle, two teeth just poking through her bottom gums. 

“Well Ellie,” Arthur began, “That there is your daddy. And I’m your pa.”

She continued to gnaw on her knuckles, cooing and babbling in her high voice. 

“Such a beautiful little girl,” you whispered, pushing the small bit of hair on her head forward.

The stage came to a halt and you carefully left, tipping the driver and walking up the hill to the loft. You carried the bag of her things and led the way towards the house. Abigail was bursting through the door before you could even make it up the path and soon she was crowding you, having John take your bag inside and her eager to see the child.

“Oh, you two, she’s precious,” Abigail cooed as Arthur passed her over. “You’re in for quite the ride, little one. Got two lovely daddies to take care of ya.”

Abigail had her moment before passing Ellie back to you. She ushered you to come into the house and soon you were faced with the lovely little makeshift nursery. The crib was built in the corner, set up nicely with a few blankets stored inside of it. A crate was set next to the table fill of cloth diapers and the formula and bottles were set on the counter. The house seemed to have new energy to it, feeling more complete and cozy in a way you didn’t think you needed. 

You and the Marstons took a bit of time to acclimate to having another face around and little Ellie seemed to take a liking to each of you. Jack was curious and was able to pull a few little giggles from the girl, him feeling particularly proud of himself. 

Abigail was swooning over her before she looked up at John, catching him staring at the little one with a sense of anxiety. “Come on John, why don’t you try and hold her. She’s gotta get to know her uncle.”

“I don’t know about that,” he said, his nerves clearly coming through his voice, “I think I’m alright right here.”

“Come on John,” Abigail urged, “It’s easy.”

“Here, why don’t you take a seat on the floor. Make it a little less scary for ya,” you suggested and Abigail nodded along.

“I’m not good with babies,” he replied, still trying to get out of it.

“No one claimed you were,” Arthur teased lightly, “Just sit down, Marston.”

He begrudgingly sat down and Abigail kneeled in front of him, guiding his arms into the correct position before passing the child off. He was stiff as a board for the first moment, not sure what to do, but soon he made eyes with little Ellie and things seemed to slip away. 

“Well god damn,” John whispered, “Look at you.”

“You’re a natural there, John, see it ain’t too bad,” you smiled. 

The smallest of smiles crept onto John’s face. He tried to hide it but to no avail. He’d never admit to just how happy the child made him, but they took a liking to each other almost instantly. He brought her up closer to his face and she began tugging at his greasy locks. He carefully pried the hair from her fingers as she pulled a little too hard. 

John took his moment but soon he was ready to pass her back over. “I think it’s time we let them settle in.”

Abigail nodded, “Let me know if you need anything. Babies are a little scary but I know you’re going to be just fine.”

“Thank you two so much for everything you’ve done,” Arthur said, putting his arm around your shoulder. “Really means the world.”

“Of course,” John nodded, “It’s really no problem.”

Jack started to tug at the bottom of Arthur’s shirt, “Here you go, Uncle Arthur!”

He handed over a folded piece of paper which Arthur unfolded, “Well would you look at this.”

“It’s a picture of you and Uncle Y/N and the baby! Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Arthur said as he kneeled down to give the boy a quick hug. 

Soon he was being ushered out by his folks. You all gave your last goodbyes before you were left with each other in the peace of your own home. You and Arthur went through the first diaper change and first time prepping a bottle, first time trying to soothe her as she cried, and first time putting her down for a nap. It was all fast and foreign yet certain aspects came so naturally. Things didn’t feel too overwhelming, only new. It was okay. 

Ellie was fast asleep in her crib when you and Arthur sat on your bed to catch a break. The two of you were pretty worn out from such an eventful day and it was only late afternoon. He pulled you to sit between his legs, your back flush against his chest and his arms wrapped around you, sitting just below your belly. He rested his chin on your shoulder and placed a kiss to the side of your ear. 

“We’ve got ourselves a family,” he whispered, his voice warm. “A daughter,” he paused, letting out a little chuckle, “We’ve got a daughter.”

“Wouldn’t believe it if I wasn’t seeing it,” you laughed back. “Two rough and tumble outlaws finding themselves settled down. What a wild story that is, cowboy.”

“No person I’d rather spend this life with, darlin’. Think this is damn near perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing.” 

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.”


	12. Epilogue.

Ellie was growing up fast. She taught you two more about life than you ever thought you could learn. She was an amazing kid, whip-smart and a quick wit. Se seemed to take all the good parts of each of you and make it even better. She and Jack had grown quite close, being raised almost like siblings though they had different sets of unrelated parents. Both of them were growing to be the best versions of themselves they could be. 

Arthur’s blonde locks were starting to go a bit more grey and he wasn’t as quick to the draw as he used to be, but he was still your Arthur. He’d still do everything he could to keep up with the kids and he was still trying to move around as he did in his twenties, no matter how bad his knees would ache afterward. 

You and Arthur raised a few horses and goats. Bounty jobs weren’t too easy to find anymore and both of you would pull odd jobs around town if you were in need of cash, although the simple life did you well. You sold the goods your animals produced, hunted, even farmed some fresh vegetables to keep yourselves stable. Arthur still claimed to be just as resistant to civilization as he once was, but he did fall for of its many amenities. He would never dare buy a motorcar, but toilets were pretty damn cool. The twentieth century held so much more than he could have ever imagined.

You and Arthur stood on the outlook, looking over the landscape and keeping an eye on the game of Cops and Robbers below. He never got less touchy over the years, still always liking to keep a hand on you when he got the chance. An arm was wrapped around your waist as the sun cast its warm light through the trees. 

“Seems our little girl ain’t so little anymore,” you said. 

You got lost in the sight before you, barely noticing his lack of response, before you caught him staring at you shamelessly, pulling you from your thoughts. “I got somethin’ on my face,” you asked jokingly.

He let out a half-hearted chuckle, “Nah, you’re clean.”

“What’s going up there then?”

He moved to face you full, wrapping his arms loosely around you and you put you yours drape around his neck, “Every time I look at you, it’s like I’m falling for you all over again.”

You shook your head as a blush rose to your cheeks, “Still know how to make me blush like a schoolgirl, bear.”

He smiled back and pressed a kiss to your forehead. He brushed your hair back before bringing his lips to yours, still tasting the same as he did the first time you touched him. 

“Oh, my boy,” he said as he squeezed you tight. “Lord knows I’d never have made it this far without you.”

“Can’t count the amount of times you’ve saved my ass. Looks like forcing two dumbasses put together leads to a little bit of smart somewhere in the mess,” you joked. 

He grabbed at your hand and circled the band around your finger. He’d gotten the year of your marriage engraved when you came into a bit of extra money. He ran his finger over the numbers, “Damn, has it really been that long?”

“Sure don’t seem that way.”

“I’ll never forget the day we got hitched. No matter how fast it went by, that might be the best day of my damn life.”

“Still mean every single word that I said,” you smiled, “Forever my everything, til the day we’re both gone.”

A smile tugged at his lips, his pupils blown wide with a tender expression, “Promise?”

You stuck your pinky out and he did the same, hooking them tightly like every time previous. The motion, although simple, never lost its meaning. The same two syllables left your mouth as they had a thousand times before. With bright eyes and a sincere tone, you said the word with conviction and pride. 

“Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You folks are amazing. Thank you so much for reading and your endless support of this series. Can't wait to write more for these amazing characters. Find me on tumblr @distantcowboynoises and gimme a shout! Thanks again for reading and i can't wait to hear from you. God's speed.   
> -Mason


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